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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inatituta  for  Hiatorical  IMicro^aproductiona  /  Inatitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibiiographiquee 


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D 


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I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


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Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


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Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
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La  re  liure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
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Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
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Additional  comments:/ 
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L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
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modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqute  ci-dessous. 


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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqut  ci-dessous. 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagtes 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurAes  et/ou  peilicuiies 


The 
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oft 
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Pages  detached/ 
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Transparence 

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Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 


I     I  Pages  detached/ 

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I     I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I     I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I — I  Only  edition  available/ 


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Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
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ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  4t4  filmAes  A  nouveau  de  fapon  h 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


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Archlvas  of  Canada 


Tha  Imagas  appearing  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
posslbia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibillty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacif ications. 


L'axamplaira  fiimA  fut  raprodult  grico  i  la 
ginArositi  da: 

la  bibliothAqua  das  Archives 
publiquas  du  Canada 

Las  imagas  suivantes  ont  AtA  raproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nattet*  de  rexemplaire  filmA,  et  en 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmaga. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  ara  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  lest  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


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Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  ImprimAe  sont  filmte  en  commen^ant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustrstion,  soit  par  la  second 
plot,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmto  en  commengant  par  la 
pramiAre  page  qui  comp  ~rte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustrstion  et  en  terminant  par 
la  darniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  eech  microfiche 
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Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
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HISTORY 


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THE  SPANISH  DOMINATION. 


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BY 


CHARLES      GAYARRt 


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NEW  YORK: 
WILLIAM  J.  WIDDLETON,  PUBLISHER. 

*  1866. 


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Bnterti)  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  ISMf 

BirciIARLESOAYARRi, 

In  the  rVrk'*  offire  of  the  District  Court  of  tlie  United  States  for  the  South«m  Littriat 

>f  New  York. 


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WHO     ENCOURAOBD     HIS     LABORS,     AND 


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WHOSE     FAME     IS     THE      PRIDE     OF     HIS     COUNTRY, 


THIS      WORK 


U   GRATEFULLY   AND    RESPECTFULLY   DEDICATED 


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BY    THE    AUTHOR. 


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CONTENTS. 


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CHAPTER  I. 

O'BEIIiLV'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

1769  to  1770. 

O'Reilly's  Administration — Organization  of  the  Government — 
Oath  of  Office — O'Reilly's  Proclamation — ^Duties  and  Juris- 
diction of  Public  Of5cers— O'Reilly's  Legislation— Its  Effects 
on  the  Laws  previously  Existing — O'Reilly's  Instructions  to 
Oommandants — O'Reilly's  Enlightened  Views  on  the  Com- 
mercial Wants  of  the  Colony — O'Reilly's  Liberal  Policy — 
Raising  of  the  Louisiana  Regiment — Inauguration  pf  the  Ca- 
bildo— Concessions  of  Vacant  Lands — Regulations  for  Grants 
of  Land— New  Orleans — Ifs  Annual  Revenue — Commercial 
Regulations-~>Tho  Capuchins  and  the  Nuns — ^The  French 
Black  Code  re-enacted — O'Reilly's  Administration  appro-  !  ■' 
by  the  King — O'Reilly's  Character,  .    .        .        .•       . 


CHAPTER  :i.  ^ 

unzaoa's  administration.  3 

1770  to  1776. 

UnzagiTs  Administrltion — Commerce  of  the  Colony— Disastrous 
Hurricane — ^Religions  Quarrels — ^Father  Dagobert^^haxacter 
of  Father  Dagobert — Character  of  Father  G6uoveaux — ^Ar- 
rival of  Spanish  Capuchins — Father  Cirilo's  Despateho*  on 
ihe  Clergy  and  Inhabitants  of  Lonisiana-^The  Clergy  of 
Louisiima  in  1772— The  Clergy  of  Louisiana  in  1773 — ^Upza- 


Pag€ 


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VI 


CONTENTS. 


ga'B  Despatch  on  the  Quarrels  of  the  Clergy — The  Colony 
reconciled  to  the  New  Government — Its  Interference  between 
Debtors  and  Creditors — Power  of  granting  Lands  where 
Vested — Defensive  Besoiircos  of  the  Colony — Unzaga  desires 
his  Recall — Unzaga  recommends  a  Better  Organization — 
End  of  Unzaga's  Administration,  


Pa^e 


43 


:- 


;  >"» 


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I 


CHAPTER  III. 

OALVBZ'   ADMINISTRATION. 

1777  to  1783. 

aiir6's  administration. 

1784  to  1786. 

Galvez'  Administration — Encouragement  to  Commerce  and 
Agriculture — Joint  Despatch  of  Villars  and  D'Aunoy — 
George  Morgan's  Letter  to  Galvez — Galvez  provides  for  the 
Defence  of  the  Colony — ^Views  of  Spain  as  to  the  American 
War  in  1777 — Galvez  gives  Assistance  to  the  Americans- 
Captain  Willing's  Expedition — ^New  Facilities  granted  to 
Commerce  in  1778 — Spanish  Coloiiists  from  the  Canary 
Islands — The  English  Trade  excluded  from  the  Colony — 
The  Confiscation  of  Noyan's  Estate — Other  Colonists  from 
the  Canary  Islands — Ravages  of  the  Small-Pox  and  of  Hurri- 
cares — Spain  declares  War  against  England — Galvez'  Mili- 
tary Prepai;jitions — Galvez'  Address  to  the  Louisianians — 
Galvez  rfeady  to  attack  the  English — Departure  of  the 
Expedition- — Fort  Manchac  carried  by  Storm — Siege  of  Ba- 
ton Rouge — ^Baton  Rouge  and  Natchez  taken — ^Naval  Ex- 
ploit of  Vincent  Rieux — Good  Behavior  of  the  Militia — Good 
Behavior  of  the  Blacks  and  Indians — ^Rewards  granted  by 
the  Spanish  Court — An  Epic  Poem  by  Julien  Poydras — 
Galvez  attacks  Mobile — Surrender  of  Mobile — Galvez  pre- 
pares to  r^itack  Pensacola — Sounding  of  the  Pensacola 
Chainnel — ^The  Spanish  Admiral  refuses  to  eirter  it— ^Galvez 
causes  the  Channel  to  be  sounded — Heroism  of  Galvez — 
Siege  of  Pensacola — Blowing-up  of  a  Redoubt — Capitulation 
of  Pensacola — Insurrection  and  retaking  of  Fort  Panmurfr — 
Retreat  of  the  Insurgents  from  Natchez— Distress  of  the  In- 


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OOKTENTS. 


VU 


surgonts — Martin  Navarro's  Oiroular— Anitwer  of  the  Oolo- 
nista — PrivilegeB  granted  to  the  Colony — Father  C>r"o  made 
a  Bishop  — Treaty  hetween  Spain  and  oiber  Powers— 
M'GilUvray  the  Half-Breed  Indian — His  Propositions  and 
Disclosures  to  Spain— A  Gongress  of  the  Indian  Nations — 
Treaty  of  Spain  with  the  Indians — ^Regulations  for  the  Indian 
Trade— Extraordinary  Severity  of  the  Winter  of  1784— 
Oalvez  Viceroy  of  Mexico— The  Ghoracter  of  Galvea — Dcatli 
ofGalvez, 


P«g« 


1(J.) 


GHAPTER  IV. 

mir6'8  administration. 

1786  to  1789. 

What  is  a  Juez  de  Residencia  ? — Census  of  1785 — Arrival  of 
Acadian  Families — Respite  granted  to  Debtors — Commerce 
of  the  Colony — Miro's  View  on  the  same  Subject — ^Navarro's 

•  Views  on  the  same  Subject — ^Navarro's  Recommendations  on 
the  Subject — Royal  Order  as  to  the  Natchez  District  in  1786 
— Miro's  Bando  de  Buen  Gobiemo — Arrival  of  Irish  Priests — 
N.avarro's  Fears  of  the  Americans — Defenceless  State  of  the 
Colony — ^Encouragement  to  Emigrants — Commercial  Distress 
of  the  Colony— Navarro's  Advice  to  his  Government — ^Na- 
varro's Fears  of  American  Ambition — Epidemics  in  the  Colony 
— Miro  conciliates  the  Indians— Cost  of  Indian  Friendship- 
Schemes  to  dismember  the  United  States — Plans  of  Mird  and 
Gardo^tti — Wilkinson's  Visit  to  New  Orleans — Wilkinson's 
Memojdi^^George  Morgan,  Leader  of  Emigrants — ^Mir6  and 
Wower"*©'Arg6s— M'ro's  Views  on  American  Emigration — 
Miru  advocates  Commercial  Franchises— rMiro's  Instructions 
to  Grandprc — Oath  imposed  on  Emigrants — Great  Fire  in 
New  Orleans — Public  Education  in  1788 — Spanish  Intrigues 
with  Wilkinson — WiUrinson's  Letter  to  Mirit — Major  Isaac 
Dunn— -Alexander  Leatt  Bullit  and  Harry  Innis — ^Daniel 
Clark,  Wilkinson's  Agent — Wilkinson's  Flatboais — Spanish 
Loan  to  Wilkinson — ^M'Gillivray's  Letter  to  Mirc>— Intrigues 
in  Cumberland  District-'  Census  of  Louisiana  in  1788 — ^Na- 
varro's Memorial — Spanish  Intrigues  in  the  West — Colonel 
Morgan's  Memorial — Gardoqui's   Letter  to    M^or  Dunn — 


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CONTKNTO. 


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Oliver  Pollock  and  Jumeg  Brown— -Innndattons  in  Louisiana 
— Wilkinson's  Intrigues — Col.  Marshall  and  Ool.  Muter — 
Caleb  Wallace  and  Benjamin  Sebastian — Intrigues  in  the 
Kentucky  Convention — Action  of  Wilkinson  in  that  Body — 
Wilkinson  communicates  his  Views  to  Spain—Wilkinson's 
Advice  to  Spain — Wilkinson's  Apprehensions  of  Detection — 
English  Intrigues  in  the  West — Wilkinson  dupes  Colonel 
Connelly — Wilkinson  denounces  the  French — Wilkinson's 
Devotion  to  Spain — Gen.  St.  Clair's  Letter  to  Major  Dunn — 
Wilkinson  and  James  Brown — Gardoqui  and  Major  Dunn — 
Wilkinson  denounces  Colonel  Morgan — Peter  Faulus,  Dorsey 
and  Paulin — ^Wilkinson's  Letter  to  Gardoqui — Miro's  Deal- 
ings with  Peter  Paulus — Miro's  Despatch  to  his  Government 
— Miro's  Instructions  to  Wilkinson  —  He  rccommendb  to  re- 
M'ard  Wilkinson, 167 


CHAPTER  V. 

miro's  administration. 

1789  to  1791. 

Governor  Sevier's  Letter  to  Gardoqui — Dr.  James  White'a  Let- 
ter to  Miro — Miro's  Answer — Districts  of  Miro  and  Frnnkland 
— Miro  and  General  Daniel  Smith — Mir6  and  Gardoqui  at 
Variance — Miro  rebukes  Colonel  Morgan — Colonel  Morgan'a 
Apology — Surveyor-General  Thos.  Hutchins — Pierre  Foucher 
and  New  Madrid — The  Holy  Inquisition — Father  Antonio  do 
Sedella — The  Cathedral  in  New  Orleans — The  South  Caro- 
lina Company  —  Moultrie,  Huger,  Snipes,  Washinattb; — 
Wilkinson's  Advice  to  the  S.  C.  Company — Sebastian^Rg- 
ging  Remuneration — Continuation  of  Wilkinson's  Intrigues — 
G.  Nicholas,  S.  M'Dowell  and  Payton  Short — Continuation  of 
Wilkinson's  Intrigues  —  Wilkinson's  Wish  to  become  a 
Spaniard — Moultrie's  Letter  to  Wilkinson— Mir6'B  Letter  to 
Wilkinson — Mir6's  Contemptuous  Language — ^A  Lesson  to 
Traitors — ^Mir6's  Distrust  of  Wilkinson — Sebastian,  a  Spy  on 
Wilkinson  —  Mir6  praising  Wilkinson  —  James  O'Fallon's 
Letter  to  Miro — ^Plat  of  the  South  Carolina  Company — 
O'Fallon's  Credentials — Scheme  to  set  up  an  Independent 
Government — Wilkinson's    Opinion     of    O'Fallon  —  Miro'g 


I" 


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CONTENIS. 


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P«g« 
Gantioas  Redenre— Mir6  and  the  Bouth  Onroli'iii  Com- 
pany— Miro's  Suggestions — Spain  and  the  Half-Uroud  M'Uil- 
livray— Tlio  Cabildo's  Memorial  to  the  King — Apprehonsiont 
of  an  English  War — NcgotiationB  between  "pain  and  the  • 
United  State*— Failure  of  Mir6'B  Schemes — Revenue  of 
Louisiana  in  1790 — Miro's  Departure — Spanish  Domination 
growing  popular 257 


CHAPTER  VI. 

oabondelbt's  administration. 

1792  to  1797. 

Oarondelot'g  Administration — Factions  in  the  Colony — Capture 
of  Wm.  i^iigustus  Bowies — Life  of  Wm.  Augustus  Bowles — 
M'Gilliv  ray's  Death — M'Gillivray's  Character — Extension  of 
Commercial  Franchises — Jacobinism  in  Louisiana — Caron- 
dolet's  Defensive  Measurob — Fortifications  at  New  Orleans — 
P  anjsh  Alliance  with  the  Indians — Carondelet's  Policy  and 
Views — Interference  between  Debtors  and  Creditors — Caron- 
delet  favors  the  Natchez  District — Emancipation  of  Indian 
Slaves — Great  Conflagration  in  New  Orleans — Address  of 
French  Jauobins — Intrigues  of  Genet — Milituy  Resources  of 
the  Colony — De  la  Chaise's  Address — De  hi  Chaise's  Death 
— Renew{d  of  Wilkinson's  Scheines — Etienno  de  Bor6,  the 
First  Sugar  Planter — Carondelet's  Proclamation-  -'^jo  Caron- 
delet  Canal-'— Encouragement  to  Emigrants — A  Slave  Con- 
spiracy—The Madrid  Treaty  of  179i>-— Spanish  Inirigues  in 
the  Wc^,  Power,  the  Agent  >*  Carondelet — ^C^urondelet's 
PropoBimns— Carondelet's  Appeal  to  Wilkinson — I'ailure  of 
Carondelet's  Schemes  —  War  declared  against  England — 
Gayoso  and  EUicott — Gayoso's  Subterfuges — Excitement  in 
the -Natchez  District — The  Committee  of  Public  Safety — 
Gayoso's  Concessions — Intendant  Rendon's  Despatch — Tak- 
ing  of  the  Balize  by  the  French — ^Improvements  in  New 
Orleans — First  Appearance  of  Yellow  Fever — Bishop  Penal- 
vert's  Despatch — General  Victor  Collet — The  New  Orleans 

'  Fortifications— The  Inhabitantf*  of  the  Illinois  District — 
General  Collot's  Arrest — The  End  oi  Carondelet's  Adminis- 


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COifTEIfTS. 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

OAYOSO'S  ADMIXISTRATION. 

1797  to  1799. 

CASA  CALVO'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

1799  to  1801. 


Pagt 


Gayoso's  Administration — Gayoso's  Bando  de  Bueh  Gobierno — 
Illustrious  Strangers  in  1798 — Duke  of  Orleans  and  his 
Brothers — Oapcain  Guion  at  Natchez — Formation  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi Territory — Count  Aranda's  Prophecy — Reflections  on 
General  Wilkinson — Ohan£'e  in  Gen.  Wilkinson's  Views — 
Daniel  Clark  appointed  Consul — Intendant  Morales  and  his 
Measures— Morales  quarrels  with  Gayoso — Morales'  Despatch 
— Morales'  Complaints — Morales  and  Willimson — Fine  im- 
posed on  Carondelet — Gayoso's  Death — Census  of  Upper 
Louisiana — Casa  Calvo  appointed  Governor — Bishop  Penal- 
vert's  Complaints — Designs  of  the  Americans  on  Louisiana — 
Bonaparte  and  Xouisiana — Pontalba's  Memoir — Treaty  of  St. 
Ildephonso, 386 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SALCEDO'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

1801  to  1803. 

Rufus  King's  Despatch — Mr.  Madison  to  Mr.  Pinckney — Treaty 
between  Spain  and  France — Livingston's  Despatch  to  Rufus 
King — Revolutionary  Spirit  in  the  Colony — Dread  of  the 
Americans — Morales'  Proclamation  in  1802 — Mr.  King  on  the 
Cession  of  Louisiana — Livingston  to  Talleyrand — Livingston 
to  Madison — Treaty  of  Amiens-  Mr.  Madison  to  Mr.  Living- 
ston— ^Mr.  King  and  Lord  Hawkesbury — Livingston's  Exer- 
tions in  France— His  Views  on  the  Cession  of  Louisiana — Mr. 
Livingston's  Negotiations — Livingston  and  Joseph  Bonaparte 
— Daniel  Clarke  and  General  Victor — Talleyrand's  Aj9sur- 
ances — The  Right  of  Deposit  at  New  Orleans — Madison's 
Despatch  on  Colonial  Officers — The  President  to  Congress— 
The  President  to  Monroe- — Debates  in  Congress — Mr.  Ross  in 


?il 


i»l 


CONTENTS. 


,*■ 


Pagt 


SI 


P»g€ 


f 


the  Senate — The  House  of  Bepresentatives  to  the  Senate — 
Mr.  Boss's  Besolutions — Mr.  White's  Speech  in  the  Senate — 
Mr.  White  in  the  Senate — Mr.  Jackson  in  the  Senate — Mr. 
Oooke  in  the  Senate — Mr.  Morris  in  the  Senate — ^Mr.  Clinton 
in  the  Senate — Mr.  Breckenridge's  Besolutions  in  the  Senate 
— Mr.  Griswold's  Besolutions  in  the  House — Mr.  Bandolph's  . 
Motion  in  the  House — Mr.  Madison's  Despatch  to  Livingston 
— Livingston's  Propositions  to  Talleyrand — Credentials  to 
Monroe  and  Livingston — Mr.  Livingston's  Energetic  Address 
— Mr.  King  and  Mr.  Addington — Livingston's  Dealings  with 
Talleyrahd — Talleyrand  shrugs  his  Shoulders — Barb6  Mar- 
bois's  Walk  in  the  Garden — The  Struggle  of  the  Diplomatists 
— What  is  Louisiana  worth  ? — The  Negotiation  fairly  opened — 
The  Way  to  make  a  Bargain — Barb6  Marbois'  Diplomacy 
— Bonaparte  and  his  Advisers — M.  Marbois  in  Cabinet  Coun- 
cil— Decres  in  the  Council — Bonaparte  in  the  Council — Treaty 
of  Cession  to  the  United  States — Diplomatic  Hand-Shaking — 
Bonaparte's  Prophecy, ......        .        .  447 


t. 
.  386 


OHAPTEB  IX. 

SALCEDO'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

1801  to  1803. 


as 
le 
he 
on 

ig- 

er- 

tfr. 

irte 

lur- 

m's 

s — 

sin 


Importance  of  the  Cession — Talleyrand's  Way  of  Explaining — 
Was  West  Florida  ceded  ? — French  View  of  the  Question — 
Spain's  Protest — Mr.  Madison  on  the  Protest — Casa  Irujo  to 
Mr.  Madison — Madison  to  Pinckney — The  French  Charge  on 
the  Protest — The  President's  Message  in  1803 — Debates  in 
Congress — Mr.^White  in  the  Senate — Mr.  Pickering  in  the 
Senate — Mr.  Tracy  in  the  Senate — Mr.  Breckenridge  in 
the  Senate — John  Quincy  Adams  in  the  Senate — Mr.  Gris- 
wold  in  the  House— Arguments  of  his  Opponents— Thomas 
Bandolph  in  the  House— Mr.  Griswold  in  the  House — Mr. 
Dana  in  the  House — ^Mr.  Thomas  Bandolph  in  Beply— Mr. 
John  Bandolph  in  the  House — Besolutions  adopted — ^What 
Bills  finally  adopted 


v^ 


527 


,f.«^ 


•!  » 


V 


% 


XU  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SALCEDO'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

t 

1801  to  1803. 

Morales  and  Gasa  Irujo  in  Oonflict — Intended  Reorganization  of 
the  Colony^ — The  Colonial  Prefect  Lanssat — Fears  of  the 
Colonists — The    French   coldly    received — Laussat  on  the 
State  of  the  Colony — Laussat  on  the  Right  of  Deposit — Laus* 
gat's  Proclamation — Address  of  the  Planters — Address  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  New  Orleans — Spanish  Commissioners'  Pro- 
clamation— Laussat's  Despatch  to  his  Government — Laussat's 
Discontent — Quarrels  between  Burthe  and  Laussat — News  of 
the  Cession  to  the  United  States — Possession    ^ven  to  the 
French — Laussat's  Proclamation — ^New  Organization  of  the 
Colony — Withdrawal  of  the  Spanish  Troops — Laussat's  Ver- 
sion of  what  happened — The  First  Mayor  of  New  Orleans— 
Laussat's  Preparations — Laussat's  £mbarr?>ssment — Laussat 
and    the    Disaffected    Militia  ^— Laussa>'s    Distrust    of   the 
Spaniards  —  Laussiat's    Excitement  —  Review    of  Laussat's 
Course — Splendid    Festivities— Claiborne    and    Wilkinson's 
Joint  Commission — The  Americans   take  Possession — Clai- 
borne's Proclamation — Situation  of  the  Colony  in  1803 — 
Louisiana  an  Incumbrance  to  Spain — Concluding  Remarks,    . 


Paga 


576 


APPENDIX, 


629 


« 


^: 


I       % 


iT 

Iff 
'If. 

.r 


■# 


HISTORY  OF  LOUISIANA. 


SPANISH  DOMINATION. 


«,* 


* 


4«» 


CHAPTER  I. 


O'eEILLY's   ADMESnSTRATIOlf.' 


1769  to  1770. 


In  a  preceding  work  on  the  Frencli  domination  in 
Louisiana,  I  have  related  the  cession  of  that  colony  to 
Spain  in  1762,  the  attempt  of  that  power  to  take  posses- 
sion of  its  new  domain  in  1766,  the  insurrection  of  the 
colonists  in  1768,  who  drove  away  the  Spaniards,  the 
arrival  of  O'ReiUy  at  New  Orleans  with  overwhehning 
forces,  to  avenge  the  insult  offered  to  his  Catholic  Majesty, 
the  trial  and  punishment,  on  the  25th  of  October,  1760, 
of  the  leaders  of  the  insurrection,  and  the  final  and  com- 
plete occupation  of  the  province  by  the  Spaniards.  The 
object  of  the  present  work  is  to  record  the  history  of  Loui- 
siana, as  a  Spanish  colony,  from  1769  to  December  1803, 
when  again  her  destinies  were  changed,  and  she  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  United  States  of  America. 

O'Reilly,  having  secured  the  obedience  of  the  new  sub- 
jects of  Spain,  and  hating,  by  the  terror  which  the  blood 
he  spilt  had  inspired,  guarded  against  the  repetition  of 
any  attempt,  similar  to  the  one  which  he  had  so  severely 


m 


M 


3 


o'reilly's  administration. 


repressed,  showed  bis  sense  of  security  by  sending  away 
the  greater  portion  of  his  troops ;  and,  retaining  only 
about  1,200  men,  he  proceeded  to  the  immediate  organi- 
zation of  the  province  in  its  military,  judicial,  and  com- 
mercial departments.  It  will  be  recollected  that  Louis 
XV.,  in  his  letter  to  Governor  D'Abbadie,  after  the  ces- 
sion of  Louisiana  to  Spain,  had  expressed  the  wish  that 
Louisiana  should  preserve  the  laws,  institutions,  and  usages 
to  which  it  had  been  so  long  accustomed,  and  had  de- 
clared that  he  expected  from  the  friendship  of  his  cousin, 
the  king  of  Spain,  that,  for  the  welfare  and  tranquillity 
of  the  colonists,  that  monarch  should  give  to  his  officers 
in  that  province,  such  instructions  as  would  permit  the 
inferior  judges,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Superior  Council, 
to  administer  justice  according  to  the  old  laws,  forms, 
and  usages  of  the  colony.  Such,  at  first,  had  been  the 
intention  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  but  it  was  changed  l>y 
the  events  which  occurred  in  the  colony  in  1768 ;  and, 
on  the  25th  of  November,  1*769,  O'Reilly  issued  a  procla- 
mation,* in  which  he  infoimed  the  colonists  that,  consi- 
dering the  part  which  the  Superior  Council  had  acted  in 
the  late  disturbances,  his  Majesty  thought  proper  to  abo- 
lish that  tribunal,  and  to  establish  in  Louisiana  that  form 
of  government  and  that  system  of  administration,  which 
had  always  succeeded  in  maintaining  tranquillity  and 
subordination  in  the  domains  of  his  Catholic  Majesty, 
and  which  had  secured  for  them  a  durable  prosperity. 
Perhaps  the  king  of  Spain,  who  could  not  decently  have 
disregarded  the  wishes  expressed  by  the  king  of  France 
in  relation  to  his  royal  donation,  was  not  backward  to 
avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  offered  to  him  by  the 
colonial  insurrection,  to  refuse  the  continuance  of  the 
French  organization,  and  to  remodel  it  in  the  Spanish 

•  American  State  Papers,  vol.  i.,  p.  363.    Miscellaneous. 


I        I 


I 


•«* 


* 


5  away 

g  only 

organi- 
id  com- 
t  Louis 
blie  ces- 
sh  that 
L  usages 
had  de- 
cousin, 
quillity 
officers 
mit  the 
Council, 
,  forms, 
een  the 
iged  T)y 
8;  and, 
procla- 
t,  consi- 
icted  in 
to  abo- 
at  form 
which 
ty  and 
lajesty, 
sperity. 
ly  have 
Franc^i 
rvard  to 
by  the 
of  the 
Spanish 


'*^^ 


0 

'# 


OBGANIZATION   OF  THE   GOVERNILENT. 


3 


style.  It  was  natural  for  the  statesmen  of  Spain,  to  think 
it  sound  policy  to  assimilate  their  new  acquisition  to  their 
other  possessions,  and  to  efface  aU  that  might  tend  to 
keep  up  or  revive  in  the  colony  the  recollection  and 
regrets  of  the  past. 

Thus  O'Reilly,  in  his  proclamation,  announced  that  a 
Cabildo  would  be  substituted  for  the  Superior  Council, 
and  be  composed  of  six  perpetual  regidores,  two  ordinary 
alcaldes,  an  attorney-general  Syndic,  and  a  clerk,  over 
which  body  the  governor  would  preside  in  pei-son.* 

The  offices  of  perpetual  regidor  and  clerk  were  acquired 
by  purchase,  and,  for  the  first  time,  at  auction.  -  The  pur- 
chaser was  declared  to  have  the  faculty  of  transferring 
his  office  to  a  known  and  capable  person,  from  whom  he 
was  permitted  to  require  in  payment  one  half  of  its 
appraised  value ;  but  one  third  only  could  be  received 
on  any  subsequent  mutation. 

Among  the  Regidores  were  to  be  distributed  the  offices 
of  Alferez  Real,  or  Royal  Standard  Bearer,  of  Principal 
Provincial  Alcalde,  of  Alguazil  Mayor,  or  High  Sheriff, 
of  Depositary  General,  and  of  Receiver  of  Fines. 

The  ordinary  Alcalde  and  the  Attorney-General  Syndic 
were  to  be  chosen,  on  the  first  day  of  every  year,  by  the 
Cabildo,  and  were  always  re-eligible,  during  the  two  first 
years,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  and  subsequently  by  a  bare 
majority.  At  such  elections  the  votes  were  openly  given 
and  recorded. 

The  ordinary  alcaldesf  were,  individually,  judges  within 
the  town  of  New  Orleans,  in  civil  and  criminal  cases,  in 
which  the  defendant  did  not  possess  and  claim  the  pri- 
vilege of  being  tried  by  a  military  or  ecclesiastical  tri- 
bunal, in  virtue  ofthefuero  mUiid/r^  or  fuero  eGclesiastico.% 


*  Martin's  History  of  Louiniana.         ;  f  Ibid. 

X  Fuero  means  privilege — ^for  instance,  such  as  the  fuerot,  or  privileges  grantee 


#' 


It 


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ORGANIZATION   OF  THE   GOVERNMENT. 


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These  alcaldes,  in  their  chambers,  and  without  any  writ- 
ten proceedings,  took  cognizance  of,  and  summarily  de- 
cided upon,  all  judicial  matters  in  which  the  value  of  the 
object  in  dispute  did  not  exceed  twenty  dollars.  In  other 
cases,  they  sat  in  a  hall  destined  for  this  purpose,  and 
their  proceedings  were  recorded  by  a  notary  and  a  clerk ; 
and  when  the  value  of  the  object  in  dispute  exceeded 
ninety  thousand  maravedis  ($330  88c.),  an  appeal  lay 
from  their  decision  to  the  Cabildo. 

This  body  did  not  examine  itself  the  judgment  ap- 
pealed from,  but  chose  two  Regidores,  who,  with  the 
Alcalde  who  had  rendered  it,  revised  the  proceedings  ; 
and,  if  he  and  either  of  the  Regidores  approved  the  deci- 
sion, it  was  affirmed. 

The  Cabildo  sat  every  Friday,  but  the  Governor  had 
the  power  of  convening  it  at  any  time.    In  his  absence, 
one  of  the  Alcaldes  presided,  and,  immediately  after  the  ..,. 
adjournment,  two  Regidores  went  to  his  house  and  in- 
formed him  of  what  had  been  done. 

The  ordinary  Alcaldes  had  the  first  seats  in  the  Ca- 
bildo, immediately  after  the  Governor ;  and,  below  them, 
;;he  other  members  sat  in  the  following  order:  the 
Alferez  Real,  or  Royal  Standard  Bearer,  the  Principal 
Provincial  Alcalde,  the  Alguazil  Mayor,  or  High  Sheriff, 
the  Depositary  General,  the  Receiver  of  Fines,  the  Attor- 
ney General  Syndic,  and  the  Clerk. 

The  office  of  Alferez  Real  was  merely  honorary,  no 
other  function  being  assigned  to  the  incumbent  but  the  ^, 
bearing  of  the  royal  standard  in  a  few  public  ceremonies. 
The  Principal  Provincial  Alcalde  had  cognizance  of 
offeuces  committed  out  of  the  town  j  the  AJguazil  Mayor 
executed  personally,  or  by  his  deputies,  all  process  from 
the  different  tribunals.     The  Depositary  General  took 

to  particular  provinces,  to  corporations,  to  the  nrilitary,  or  to  the  ecclesiastical 
body,  <fec  <ko. 


>.r 


4- 


Sif'         ORGANIZATION  OF  TIIE   GOVERNMENT. 


W 


chai'ge  of  all  moneys  and  eflfects  placed  in  the  custody 
of  the  law.    The  ftinctions  of  the  Receiver  General  of 

*  Fines  are  pointed  out  by  his  official  denomination.    The 

^  Attorney  General  Syndic  waa  not,  as  may  be  supposed 
from  his  title,  the  prosecutiQg  officer  of  the  crown.  His 
duty  was  to  propose  to  the  Cabildo  such  measures  as 
the  interest  of  the  people  required,  and  to  defend  their 
lights.    This  was  a  sort  of  imitation  of  the  Roman  tri- 

A  bune,  and  shows  that,  even  in  those  days,  and  under  that 
form  of  government  which  was  reputed,  not  only  abso- 
lute, but  also  tyrannic,  the  people,  contrary  to  the 
general  belief,  were  admitted  to  have  rights,  which  were 
to  be  advocated  and  defended.  Such  at  least  was  the 
theoiy,  if  the  practice  was  different. 

The  Regidores,  or  municipal  officew,  received  fifty 
dollars  each,  annually,  from  the  treasurj^  The  Principal 
Provincial  Alcalde,  the  Alguazil  Mayor,  the  Depositary 
General,  the  Receiver  of  Fines,  and  the  Ordinary  Al- 
caldes were  entitled,  as  such,  to  fees  of  office. 

In  certain  cflses,  there  was  w.  appeal  from  the  highest 
tribunal  of  the  province  to  the  Captain  General  of  the 
island  of  Cuba ;  from  him,  to  the  Royal  Audience  in  St. 
Domingo,  and.  thence  to  the  Council  of  the  Indies  in 
Madrid. 

The  other  officers  of  the  province  were  a  Captain 
General  residing  in  Cuba,  and  to  whom  the  Governor  of 
the  colony  seems  to  have  been  subordinate ;  a  Governor, 

^lothed  with  civil  and  military  powers ;  an  Intendant, 
who  had  the  administration  of  the  revenues,  and  of  all 
that  concerned  the  naval  and  commercial  department ;  a 
,  Contador,  or  Royal  Comptroller ;  an  Auditor  of  War 
and  Assessor  of  Government,  who  was  the  If^al  adviser 
of  the  Governor ;  an  Auditor  of  the  Intendancy,  who  was 
the  legal  adviser  of  the  Intendant.  There  being  in  those 
days,  in  Louisiana,  a  scarcity  of  men  learned  in  the  law, 


,  ,j|-j 


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4 


.  ~t. 


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ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT. 


J*' 


says  Judge  Martin  in  his  History,  the  Auditor  of  War 
frequently  acted  as  the  counsel,  not  only  of  the  Goveraoi*, 
but  also  of  the  Intendant,  of  the  Cahildo,  and  of  all  the  ^ 
other  public  functionaries.  There  was  a  secretary  of  the 
governor  and  a  secretary  of  the  intendant,  a  treasurer  of 
the  province,  a  general  storekeeper  and  a  purveyor,  a 
surveyor  general,  a  harbor  master,  an  interpreter  of  the 
French  and  English  languages,  an  Indian  intei-preter, 
and  three  notaries  public ;  besides,  a  collector,  a  comp-  , 
troUer,  a  cashier,  an  inspector,  and  a  special  notaiy  for 
the  custom-house. 

Every  officer  who  received  a  salary  of  more  than 
three  hundred  dollars  a  year,  was  appointed  by  the 
crown ;  inferior  offices  to  these  were  in  tjie  gift  of  the 
governor,  or  of  the  intendant,  in  their  respective  depart- 
ments. The  governor  exercised  judicial  powers  in  civil 
and  criminal  matters  throughout  the  province,  as  did  the 
intendant  with  regard  to  all  that  appertained  to  the 
I'e venue  and  the  admiralty;  and  as  did  the  vicai*  general 
in  the  ecclesiastical  department.  These  officers  had,  it 
seems,  exclusive  jurisdiction  in  their  respective  couils. 
Tlie  two  former  were  assisted,  as  I  have  ali-eady  said,  by 
un  auditor  or  assessor,  whose  opinion  they  might,  on 
their  own  responsibility,  disregard.  It  was  one  of  the 
powers  of  the  governor  to  make  grants  of  land. 

In  every  parish,  says  Judge  Martin  in  his  History,  an 
officer  of  the  army  or  militia,  of  no  higher  grade  than  a 
captain,  was  stationed  as  civil  and  militaiy  commandant. 
His  duty  was  to  attend  to  the  police  cf  the  parish  and  * 
preserve  its  peace.  He  was  instructed  to  examine  the 
passports  of  all  travelers,  and  suffer  no  one  to  settle 
within  his  jurisdiction,  without  the  license  of  the  gover- 
nor. He  had  jurisdiction  over  aU  civil  cases  in  which 
the  value,  of  the  object  in  dispute  did  not  exceed  twenty 
dollars ;  in  more  important  cases,  he  received  the  petition  . 


If 


'I'afei 


"«      ^ 


'*«• 


i*  ■» 


OAl-H   oF  OFFICE. 


;1. 


.%^ 


and  answer,  took  down  the  testimony,  and  transmitted 
the  whole  to  the  governor,  by  whom  the  record  was  sent 
to  the  pi'oper  tribunal.  He  had  the  power  to  punislT 
daves,  and  arrest  and  impiison  free  persons  charged 
with  offences,  .'•nd  was  bound  to  transmit  immediate  in 
formation  of  the  an*est,  with  a  transcript  of  the  evidence, 
to  the  governor,  by  whose  order  the  accused  was  eithei 
discharged,  or  sent  to  New  Orleans.  These  parish  com- 
mandant? acted  also  as  notaries  public,  and  made  in- 
ventorien  and  sales  of  the  estates  of  the  deceased,  and 
attended  to  the  execution  of  judgments,  rendered  in 
New  Orleans,  against  defendants  who  resided  in  the 
country  parishes. 

The  Spanish  language  was  ordered  to  be  employed 
by  all  public  officers  in  their  minutes ;  but  the  use  of 
the  French  was  tolerated  in  the  judicial  and  notarial  acts 
^f  the  commandants. 

The  public  officers  were  bound  to  take  the  following 
oath : 

"I,  *****  appointed  . . .  (here  followed  the  desig- 
nation of  the  office,)  . . .  swear  before  God,  on  the  holy 
cross  and  on  the  evangelists,  to  maintain  and  defend  the 
mystery  of  the  immaculate  conception  of  Our  Lady  the 
Virgin  Mary,  and  the  royal  jurisdiction  to  which  I  ap- 
pertain in  virtue  of  my  office.  I  swear  also  to  obey  the 
roval  ordinances  and  decrees  of  his  Majesty,  to  fulfil 
faithfully  the  duties  of  my  office,  to  decide  in  conformity 
if  with  law  in  all  the  affairs  which  shall  be  submitted  to 
my  tribunal ;  and  the  better  to  accomplish  this  end,  I 
promise  to  consult  pei-sons  learned  in,  the  law,  on  every 
occasion  which  may  present  itself  in  this  town ;  and, 
finally,  I  swear  never  to  exact  other  fees  than  those  fixed 
by  the  tariff,  and  never  to  take  any  from  the  poor." 

This  last  clause  of  the  oath  is  worthy  of  being  recom* 


H 


^  M 

n 


't  » 


•%. 


# 


,  ^. 


■¥h.^ 


8 


k> 


o'reilly's  peoolamation. 


1 1  * 


n 


mended  to  the  attention  of  officers  acting  under  more 
liberal  institutions. 

•  These  were  the  principal  features  in  the  organization 
of  the  new  government. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  1769,  O'Reilly  issued  a 
proclamation  making  known  a  set  of  instructions  which 
he  had  caused  to  be  prepared  by  two  of  his  legal  ad- 
visers, Don  Jose  Urrustia  and  Don  Felix  Del  Rey,  who 
acted  3o  conspicuous  a  part  in  the  prosecution  against 
Lafreniere  and  his  accomplices.  These  instructions  were 
an  abridgment  or  summary  of  the  rules  to  be  followed 
in  civil  and  criminal  actions,  and  of  the  laws  of  Castile 
and  of  the  Indies,  to  which  they  referred,  and  to  which 
they  might  serve  as  an  index.  This  compendium  was  * 
Intended  as  a  guide  to  all  the  functionaries  and  to  the 
])ulilic.  It  contained  also  an  enumeration  of  all  the 
offices  in  the  colony,  and  a  definition  of  all  the  functions^ 
and  privileges  thereto  appertaining.  In  the  preamble 
to  his  proclamation,  O'Reilly  said: -^"Whereas  the 
want  of  jurists  in  this  colony  and  the  little  knowledge 
which  the  new  subjects  of  his  Catholic  Majesty  possess 
of  the  Spanish  Laws,  may  render  a  strict  observance  of 
them  difficult  (which  would  be  so  much  at  variance 
with  the  intentions  of  his  Majesty),  we  have  thought  it 
useful  and  even  necessary  to  have  an  abstract  made  of 
said  laws,  in  order  that  it  may  become  an  element  of  in- 
struction or  information  to  the  public,  and  a  fonnulary 
in  the  administration  of  justice,  and  in  the  municipal 
government  of  this  town,  until  a  more  general  know- 
ledge of  the  Spanish  language  be  introduced  in  this 
province,  and  until  every  one  be  enabled  by  the  perusal 
of  those  laws,  to  know  them  thoroughly.  Wherefore, 
under  reserve  of  his  Majesty's  pleasure,  we  order  and 
?^;  command  all  the  judges,  the  Cabildo,  and  all  other 


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DrmS   AND  JURISDIOnON   OF  PUBLIC   OFFICEltS. 


9 


» 


public  officers,  to  conform  strictly  to  what  is  required 
^by  the  following  articles."  This  document*  is  given  at 
length  in  the  Appendix,  and  is  in  every  way  worthy  of 
an  attentive  perusal.  It  will  be  found,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  few  objectionable  provisions,  to  be  remai'kable 
for  wisdom  and  humanity,  and  it  would  not  require 
much  investigation  to  discover  worse  legislation  in  these 
om*  days  of  enlightened  morality  and  progressive 
knowledge. 

The  Article  20,  of  Section  I.,  concerning  the  Cabildo, 
runs  thus : 

"The  electors,  in  the  two  jurisdictions,  being  re- 
sponsible for  the  injury  and  detriment  which  the  public 
may  sustain,  by  the  bad  conduct  and  incapacity  of  the 
elected  in  the  administration  of  justice  and  the  manage- 
ment of  the  public  interests,  should  have  for  their  only 
objects,  in  the  election  of  ordinary  alcaldes  and  other 
officers,  the  service  of  God,  the  king,  and  the  public  ; 
and,  in  order  to  prevent  an  abuse  of  that  great  trust, 
theii'  choice  should  be  directed  to  those  persons  who 
shall  appear  to  them  most  suitable  for  those  offices,  by 
the  proofs  they  may  possess  of  their  affection  for  the 
king,  their  disinterestedness,  and  their  zeal  for  the 
public  welfare." 

With  the  omission  of  the  word  hinffj  this  article  would 
not  be  found  inapplicable  to  present  circumstances,  and 
might  be  fitly  recommended  to  that  generation  of  elec* 
tors  who  hold  now  in  their  hands  the  destinies  of  om* 
coimtry. 

Ai*ticle  "1  said:  "The  OabUdo  is  hereby  infoimed 
that  it  must  exact  from  the  governors,  previous  to  their 
taking  possession  of  their  office,  a  good  and  sufficient 


*  American  State  Papery  voL  i.,  p.  86S.    MiaoellaoeoiUk 


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10       DUTIES   AND   JUUI8DIGTI0N   OF   PUBLIC   OFFIC£I{S. 

surety,  and  a  full  aasuranco  to  this  effect — that  they  whall 
submit  to  the  necessary  inquiries  and  examinations  dur- 
ing the  time  they  may  be  in  employment,  and  that  they 
shall  conform  to  whatever  may  be  adjudged  and  deter- 
mined against  them.  This  article  merits  the  most 
serious  attention  of  the  Cabildo,  which  is  responsible  for 
the  consequences  that  may  result  from  any  omission  and 
neglect  in  exacting  the  aforesaid  securities  from  the 
goveruoi-s." 

Considering  the  age  in  which  it  was  framed,  and  the 
source  from  which  it  emanated,  this  article  deserves  to 
be  noticed,  on  account  of  the  check  which  it  intends  to 
impose  on  the  exercise  of  the  executive  power. 

Tlie  section  11,  on  the  ordinary  alcaldes,  is  not  without 
interest.    The  4th  article  of  that  section  says : 

"  The  alcaldes  shall  appear  in  public  with  decency  and 
modesty,  bearing  the  wand  of  royal  justice — a  badge  pro- 
vided by  law  to  distinguish  the  judges.  When  admi- 
nistermg  justice,  they  shall  hear  mildly  those  who  may 
present  themselves,  and  shall  fix  the  hour  and  the  place 
of  audience,  which  shall  be  at  10  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
at  the  Town  Hall ;  and,  for  the  decision  of  cases  in  which 
no  writings  are  required,  they  shall  sit  in  the  evening 
between  7  and  8  o'clock,  at  their  own  dwellings,  and  in 
none  other." 

Art.  13  and  15  read  thus:  Art.  13 — "The  ordinary 
Alcaldes,  accompanied  by  the  Alguazil  Mayor  (High 
Sheriff),  and  the  escribano  (clerk),  shall,  every  Friday, 
proceed  to  the  visitation  of  the  prisons.  They  shall  ex- 
amine the  prisoners,  the  causes  of  their  detention,  and 
ascertain  how  long  they  have  been  imprisoned.  They 
shall  release  the  poor  who  may  be  detained  tor  their  ex- 
penses, or  for  small  debts ;  and  the  jailor  shall  not  exact 
from  them  any  release  fee.    The  alcaldes  shall  not  set  at 


4 


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BtJTIJJB    AND   JURISDICTION    OF  Pt'BLIC   0FFICEU8.       11 

liberty  any  of  the  piisoners  detained  by  uidor  of  the  Go- 
vernor, or  of  any  other  judge  without  the  expi-eas  consent 
of  said  authorities." 

"Art.  15.  The  Governor,  with  tJie  Alcaldes,  the  Al- 
guazil  Mayor,  and  the  escribano,  shall,  yearly,  on  the 
eve  of  Christmas,  Easter,  and  Whitsunday,  make  a  gene- 
ral visitation  of  the  prisons,  in  the  manner  prescribed  by 
the  Laws  of  the  Indies.  They  shall  release  those  who 
have  been  arrested  for  criminal  causes  of  little  importance, 
or  for  debts,  when  such  debtors  are  known  to  be  insolvent, 
and  shall  allow  them  a  sufficient  term  for  the  payment 
of  their  creditoris." 

These  articles  are  imbued  with  a  spirit  of  Immanity 
and  Christianity  highly  creditable  to  the  legislation  of 
Spain. 

The  section  3d  defines  the  attributions  of  the  Alcalde 
Mayor  Provincial,  and  shows  that  the  celebrated  institu- 
tion of  the  jSmita  Ilertna/ndad  was  established  in  Loui- 
siana. 

The  4th  article  of  this  section  shows  gi'eat  regard  for 
the  comfort  and  protection  of  travelers  and  strangera. 
It  says :  "  The  Alcalde  Mayor  Provincial  shall  see  that 
travelers  are  furnished  with  pro^Tsions  at  reasonable 
prices,  as  well  by  the  proprietors  as  by  the  inhabitants 
of  the  villages  through  which  they  may  pass." 

The  5th  article  says:  "The  principal  object  of  the 
institution  of  the  tribunal  of  the  Sauta  Herraandad  (holy 
brotherhood)  being  to  repress  disordei-s,  and  to  prevent 
the  robberies  and  assassinations  committed  in  unfre- 
quented places  by  vagabonds  and  delinquents,  who  con- 
ceal themselves  in  the  woods,  from  which  they  sally  to 
attack  travelers  and  the  neighboring  inhabitants,  the 
Alcalde  M  yor  Provincial  shall  assemble  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  members  or  b'  thers  of  the  Santa  Hermandad,  to 
clear  hif;  jurisdiction  of  the  i>  rpetrators  of  such  evil  deeds, 


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DUTIES   AND  JURISDICTION    OF  PUBLIC   OFFICEBS. 


by  pursuing  them  with  spirit,  sei^ng,  or  putting  them  to 
death." 

Section  7th  concerns  the  Procurador  General.  The 
article  I.  is  as  follows : 

"  The  Procurador  General  is  an  officer  appointed  to 
assist  the  people  in  all  their  concerns,  to  defend  them, 
preserve  their  rights,  and  obtain  justice  on  their  behalf, 
and  to  enforce  all  other  claims  which  relate  to  the  public 
interest. 

"In  consequence  thereof,  the  Procurador  General, 
who  is  appointed  solely  for  the  public  good,  shall  see  that 
the  municipal  ordinances  are  strictly  observed,  and  shall 
endeavor  to  prevent  everything  by  which  the  said  public 
interest  might  suffer. 

"  For  these  purposes,  he  shall  apply  to  the  tribunals 
competent  thereto,  for  the  recovery  of  debts  and  revenues 
due  to  the  treasury  of  the  town  of  New  Orleans,  in  the 
capacity  of  attorney  for  said  town.  He  shall  pursue  these 
causes  with  the  activity  and  diligence  necessary  to  dis- 
charge him  from  the  responsibility  he  would  incur  by  the 
slightest  omission. 

"  He  shall  see  that  the  other  officers  of  the  Council  or 
Cabildo  discharge  strictly  the  duties  of  their  offices ;  that 
the  Depositary  General,  the  Eeceiver  of  Fines,  and  all 
those  who  are  to  give  sureties,  shall  give  such  as  are  good 
and  sufficient ;  and  in  case  said  sureties  should  cease  to  be 
good,  he  shall  demand  that  they  be  renewed  conformably 
to  law. 

"He  shall  be  present  at,  and  shall  interpose  in  the 
division  of  lands,  and  in  other  public  matters,  to  the  end 
that  nothing  unsuitable  or  injurious  shall  occur." 

It  must  be  admitted  that  this  whole  section  is  replete 
with  a  feeling  of  liberality  and  a  regard  for  the  interests 
of  the  people,  which  is  supposed  to  appertain  only  to  » 
republican  government. 


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DUTIES   AND  JUTUSDIOnOlT  OF  FUBLIO  OFFICERS.      13^ 

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The  section  10)  whicli  treats  of  the  jailor  and  the  prisons, 
breathes  not  that  spirit  of  ferocity,  which  is  generally 
believed  to  be  akin  to  the  subject,  and  characteristic  of 
that  age,  as  well  as  the  attribute  of  the  presumed  tyranny 
of  Spanish  legislation  and  officials ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
it  seems  to  have  been  framed  under  the  mild  influence 
of  liiodem  philanthropy.  The  provision  which  prohibits 
jailors  from  exacting  any  fee  from  the  poor,  and  from 
receiving  any  gratuity,  either  in  money  or  goods,  is  wor- 
thy of  commendation.  It  may  not  be  inappropriate  to 
quote  the  whole  section. 

Art.  1.  "The  jailor  shall  be  appointed  by  the  alguazil 
mayor,  and  approved  by  the  governor  before  entering 
on  the  duties  of  his  office.  He  slxall  also  be  presented^ 
to  the  Cabildo  to  be  inducted  into  office,  and  to  take  an 
oath  to  discharge  faithfully  the  duties  of  the  said  office, 
to  guai'd  the  prisoners  watchfully,  and  to  observe  the  laws 
and  ordinances  established  in  this  respect,  undei  the 
penalties  therein  declared. 

Art.  2.  "  The  ^aid  jailor  must  not  enter  upon  the  duties 
of  the  said  office  until  he  shall  have  given  good  and  suffi- 
cient sureties  in  the  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars,  as  a 
warranty  that  no  prisoner  detained  for  debt  shall  be 
released  without^an  order  from  the  judge  competent 
thereto. 

Art.  3.  "The  jailor  shall  keep  a  book,  in  which  he 
shall  inscribe  the  names  of  all  the  prisoners,  that  of  the 
judge  by  whose  order  they  have  been  arrested,  the  cause 
for  which  they  are  detained,  and  the  names  of  those  who 
may  liave  arrasted  them.  He  shall  reside  in  the  prison 
intrusted  to  his  care,  and,  for  each  considerable  fault 
committed  by  him,  he  shall  pay  sixty  doUars,  applicable 
one  half  to  the  royal  chamber,  and  the  other  to  the 
informer.  . 

Art.  4.  "  It  is  th6  duty  of  the  jailor  to  keep  the  prison 


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O'Reilly's  leoislation. 


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clean  and  healthy,  to  supply  it  with  water  for  the  use  of 
the  prisoners,  to  visit  them  in  the  evening,  to  prevent 
them  from  gaming  or  disputing,  to  treat  them  well,  and 
to  avoid  insulting  or  offending  them. 

Art.  5.  "  It  is  likewise  the  duty  of  the  jailor  to  take 
care  that  the  female  prisoners  are  separate  from  the  men ; 
that  they  be  kept  in  their  respective  apartments,  and 
that  they  be  not  worse  treated  than  their  offence  desen'^es, 
or  than  is  prescribed  by  the  judges. 

Art.  6.  "With  regard  to  his  fees,  the  said  jailor  shall 
confine  himself  strictly  to  those  which  are  established ; 
he  shall  take  none  from  the  poor,  under  a  penalty  of  the 
value  of  the  same.  He  shall  not,  without  incurring  the 
same  penalty,  receive  any  gratuity,  either  in  moiley  or  in 
goods.  He  shall  avoid  entirely  either  playing,  eating,  or 
forming  any  intimacy  with  the  prisonei's  under  the  penalty 
of  sixty  dollars,  applicable,  one  third  to  the  royal  cham- 
ber, one  third  to  the  informer,  and  the  remaining  third  to 
the  poor  prisoners." 

Persons  of  noble  birth,  the  military,  the  municipal  and 
other  civil  officers,  lawyera,  physicians,  women,  and  cer- 
tain other  individuals,  were  exempted  from  imprisonment 
for  debt. 

The  section  on  criminal  trials  haslsome  remarkable 
features,  among  which  the  art.  14,  which  says :  "  The 
accused,  being  convicted  of  the  crime,  on  its  being  fully 
established  on  trial  by  sufficient  proof,  or  by  some  other 
proof  in  conjunction  with  his  own  confession,  may  be 
condemned  to  the  penalty  provided  by  law  for  the  same. 
The  said  condemnation  shall  also  take  place,  when  two 
witnesses  of  lawful  age  and  irreproachable  character  shall 
depose  that,  of  their  certain  knowledge,  the  accused  has 
committed  the  crime ;  but  when  there  shall  appear  against 
the  accused  but  one  witness,  and  other  indications  or  con- 
jectures, he  shall  not  be  condemned  to  the  penalty  pro- 


44 


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o'reilly's  legislation. 


16 


vided  by  law ;  but  some  other  punishment  shall  be 
inflicted  as  directed  by  the  judge,  with  due  consideration 
of  the  circumstances  which  may  appear  on  the  trial.  This 
state  of  things  requires  the  gi*eatest  circumspection,  as  it 
must  always  be  remembered,  that  it  is  better  to  let  a 
criminal  escape  than  to  punish  the  innocent." 

This  provision  concerning  condemnation  on  the  testi- 
mony of  one  witness,  whatever  may  be  said  as  to  the 
propriety  of  its  policy,  is  certainly  more  humane  than 
the  law  by  which  we  are  now  governed,  and  which  may 
send  a  man  to  the  scaffold  on  the  bai:e  testimony  of  ano- 
ther. It  will  also  be  observed  that  the  well  known  axiom 
that  "it  is  better  that  guilt  should  go  unpunished,  than 
that  innocence  should  suffer  unjust  punishment,"  is  not 
confined  to  the  common  law  of  England.  It  may,  more- 
over, not  be  amiss  here — ^to  reipark,  in  a  parenthesis,  that 
the  boasted  privileges  of  English  liberty  existed  in  some 
parts  of  Spain,  although  destroyed  since,  long  before  they 
were  dreamed  of  in  that  noble  land  from  which  we  have 
borrowed  so  much  of  our  judicial  and  political  organi- 
zation.* 

The  whole  chapter  concerning  appeals  is  characterized 
by  the  desire  of  bringing  lawsuits  to  a  speedy  terminar 
tion — a  thing  not  to  be  expected,  according  to  public 
opinion,  from  ^  Spanish  Legislation. 

It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  some  of  the  penal- 
ties inflicted,  savored  of  the  peculiar  temperament  of  the 
age  and  of  the  exaggerated  devotion  to  the  church  and 
the  throne  which  marked  the  Spanish  character  at  the 
time ;  for  instance,  art.  1  of  section  v,  on  punishments, 
decreed  that :  "  he  who  shall  revile  Our  Saviour,  or  his 
mother  the  Holy  Virgin  Mary,  shall  have  his  tongue  cut 
out,  and  his  property  shall  be  confiscated,  applicable  one 

*  See  art  Navarre,  in  the  Encycloptedia  Britanniea,  vol.  xr.,  p.  748. 


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half  to  the  public  treasury,  and  the  other  half  to  the 
mformer." 

Art.  2d.  said :  "  He,  who  forgetting  the  respect  and 
loyalty  which  every  subject  owes  to  his.  king,  shall  have 
the  insolence  to  vilify  his  royal  person,  or  that  of  the 
queen,  of  the  hereditary  prince,  or  of  the  mf  antes  (princes 
of  the  blood)  or  of  their  sons,  shall  be  punished  corpo- 
rally, according  to  the  cu*cuinstances  .of  the  crime ;  and 
the  half  of  his  property  shall  be  confiscated  to  the  profit 
of  the  public  or  the  royal  treasury,  if  he  have  legitimate 
children ;  but  should  he  have  none,  he  shall  forfeit  the 
whole,  applicable  two  thirds  to  the  public  treasury,  and 
the  other  third  to  the  accuser." 

Art.  3.  "The  authors  of  any  insurrection  against  the 
king  or  the  state,  or  those  who,  under  pretence  of  defend- 
ing their  liberty  and  ligl^ts,  shall  be  concerned  in  it,  or 
take  up  arms  therein,  shall  be  punished  with  death  and 
the  confiscation  of  their  property.  The  same  punishments 
shall  also  be  inflicted  c«i  all  those  who  may  be  convicted 
of  high  treason." 

The  Art.  4.  contains  a  remarkable  feature.  A  plebeian, 
using  opprobrious  language  to  the  detriment  of  any  one, 
was  condemned  to  pay  a  fine  of  1200  maravedis ;  but 
should  a  nobleman  have  committed  the  same  offence,  the 
penalty  for  him  was  2000  maravedis.  This  distinction 
seems  to  have  ori^ated  from  the  impression,  that  such 
an  offence  ought  to  be  more  severely  punished  in  one  of 
gentle  than  of  base  blood,  on  account  of  its  being  more 
heinous  in  one  who,  on  account  of  his  rank,  ought  to  have 
been  more  correct  in  his  deportment. 

The  following  articles  show  at  least  that  the  new 
government  was  imbued  with  puritanical  severity,  and 
was  disposed  to  check  by  eictreme  punishment  all  infrac- 
tions against  morality. 

Art  6.  said :  "The  married  woman  convicted  of  adul- 


* 


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o'bEILLY'b  LEGISA^IION. 


17 


teiy,  and  lie  who  lias  committed  the  same  with  her,  shall 
be  delivered  up  to  the  husband,  to  be  dealt  with  as  he 
may  please ;  with  the  reserve,  however,  that  he  shall  not 
put  one  of  them  to  death.  Without  inflicting  the  same 
punishment  on  the  other. 

Art.  7.  "  The  tnan  who  shaU  consent  that  his  wife  live 
in  concubinage  with  another,  or  who  shall  have  induced 
her  to  commit  adultery,  shall,  for  the  first  time,  be  exposed 
to  public  shame,  and  condemned  to  a  confinement  of  ten 
years  in  some  fortress ;  and,  for  the  second  time,  shall 
be  sentenced  to  one  hundred  lashies  and  confinement  for 

life. 

Art.  8.  "  The  same  punishment  shall  also  be  inflicted 
on  those  who  carry  on  the  infamous  trade  of  enticing 
women  to  prostitution,  by  procuring  them  the  means  of 
accomplishing  the  same. 

Art.  9.  "  He  who  shall  be  guilty  of  fornication  with  a 
relation  in  the  fourth  degree,  shall  forfeit  half  of  his  pro- 
perty to  the  profit  of  the  public  treasury,  and  shall,  more- 
over, be  punished  coi'porally,  or  banished,  or  undergo 
some  other  penalty,  according  to  the  rank  of  the  person 
and  the  degree  of  kindred  between  the  parties.  If  the 
said  criine  be  committed  between  parents  and  their  off- 
spring, or  with  a  professed  nun,  the  same  shall  be  punished 
with  death. 

Art.  10.  "  He  who  shall  commit  the  detestable  crime 
against  nature  shall  suffer  death,  and  his  body  shall  after- 
wards be  burnt,  ana  his  property  shall  be  confiscated  to 
the  profit  of  the  public  and  royal  treasuries. 

Art.  11.  "The  woman  who  shall  be  publicly  the  con- 
jubine  of  an  ecclesiastic  shaU  be  sentenced,  for  the  first 
ime,  to  a  fine  of  a  mark  of  silver,  and  to  banishment  for 
me  year  from  the  town  or  from  the  place  where  the 
)ffence  may  have  been  committed.  The  second  time,  she 
hall  be  fined  another  mark  of  silver  and  banished  for 


A 


t 


m 


'm- 


im 


«*• 


M 


.! 


I 


>  > 


I 


^»1 


i    ■  1 


r 
If 


w 


;i 


u 


wt^ 


".  u 


I., 


■p: 


Hr 


S'- 


n. 


* 


'!^ 


18    ITS  EFFECTS   ON  TSE  LAWS  PREVIOUSLY  EXISTING. 

two  years,  and,  in  case  of  relapse,  site  sihall  be  punished 
by  one  hundred  lashes,  in  addition  to  the  penalties  afore- 
said* . 

Art.  12.  "If  fornication  be  committed  between  un- 
married persons,  they  shall  be  admonished  by  the  judge 
to  discontinue  every  kind  of  intercourse  with  each  other, 
under  the  penalty  of  banishment  for  the  man,  and  con- 
finement for  the  woman,  during  such  time  as  may  be  ue- 
cessary  to  operate  a  reformation.  Should  this  menace 
have  not  the  desired  effect,  the  judge  shall  put  the  same 
into  execution,  unless  the  rank  of  the  parties  requires  a 
different  procedure — ^in  which  case,  the  said  offence  shall 
be  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  the  judges  collect- 
ively, to  apply  the  remedy  whicb  their  prudence  and  zeal 
for  the  repression  of  such  disorders  may  suggest.  They 
shall  punish  all  other  offences  of  debauchery  in  proportion 
to  their  degree,  and  to  the  injury  occaaoned  thereby." 

Ever  after  the  promulgation  of  this  document,  it  is  to 
be  supposed  that  all  judicial  decisions  were  grounded 
on  the  laws  of  Spain.  At  a  later  period,  however,  it 
became  a  question,  which  was  debated  in  the  courts  of 
justice  of  Louisiana,  how  far  the  French  laws  had  been 
repealed  by  O'Keilly,  and  whether  he  had  the  authority 
to  abolish  them,  as  the  extent  of  his  powers  had  never 
been  exactly  known.  But  now  the  question  is  set  at  rest, 
as  it  is,ascertained  that  O'Keilly  was  clothed  with  unli- 
mited authority,f  and  that  aU  he  did  in  Louisiana  was 
fuUy^  confinned  by  the  king  and  the  council  of  Lidies. 
In  a  communication  addressed  to  his  government,  on  the 
17th  of  October  1769,  he  had  saidj,  "it  seems  proper 

*  Nd  penalty  waa  decreed  agamet  the  eccleaiastio  by  the  civil  authorities,  be 
caupe  he  probably  had  the  privilege  of  being  tried  oply  by  the  tribttnals  of  hja 
holy  order.    ■     ^  •  t. 

f  See  the  Letter  of  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi  to  the  Count  of  Fuentes.  at  iho 
court  of  Versftillea,    Oayarr^'a  Louisiana,  8<l  series  of  Lectures,  p.  264,  vol  ii. 

X  EnlaSdFha,  en Nueva Orleans,  17  de Oct  de llW,  dice:    " Quele pareee  con- 


f 


4%* 


4 


^ 


■^' 


o'bBILLY's  IlfSTRUCnONS  TO  COJiMANDAinS. 


19 


that  this  colony  be  governed  by  the  same  laws  which 
prevail  in  the  other  dominions  of  his  Majesty  in  America, 
and  that  in  its  military,  judicial,  and  financial  organization, 
it  be,  in  each  of  these  respective  departments,  a  depen- 
dency of  the  Island  of  Cuba."  The  government  gave  its 
approbation  to  these  views  of  O'Reilly*  Fortunately, 
there  was  no  very  great  dissimilarity  between  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  the  Spanish  and  the  French  juris- 
prudence, which  had  the  same  sisterly  origin,  and  drew 
their  existence  from  the  honored  womb  of  Boman  legis- 
lation, emphatically  called  the  "  Civil  Law,"  and  so  well 
known  under  that  namer 

O'Reilly  had  a  set  of  instructions  drawn  up,  which  he 
sent  to  the  parish  commandants.  From  those  addressed 
to  de  Mezi^res,  who  was  in  command  of  Natchitoches,  I 
extract  the  following  passage :  "The  commandant  of  the 
Post  of  Natchitoches  shall  not  omit  to  employ  every 
means  to  prevent  the  trade  now  going  on  with  the  Mex- 
ican provinces ;  and,  whereas  every  officer  who  commands 
a  post,  ought  not  to  be  ignorant  of  anything  that  occurs 
within  the  limits  of  his  jmisdiction,  he  shall  bear  the 
responsibility  thereof  in  every  respect.  There  is  nothing 
which  renders  a  government  more. respectable  a^d  bene- 
ficent than  the  prompt  and  equitable  administration  of 
justice.  Therefore  do  I  most  particularly  recommend  the 
observance  of  this  duty  to  every  commandant,  and  any 
want  of  exactitude  in  the  discharge  of  official  functions 
I  shall  consider  as  a  contempt  of  the  authoriby  of  the 
Governor  General  of  this  province.  Those  in  command 
have  been  clothed  with  power,  only  to  make  their  subor- 


)» 


^^^' 


veni«nte  que  dioha  colonia  ee  gobierna  por  las  mismaB  leyea  ya«  IoB' demas 
domibioB  de  S.  IL  en  America,  y'qtte  en  lo  militar,  jndioial  y  economico  depends 
de  la  isia  de  Cubat"  .      : 

*  See  the 'Records  of  the  deliberations  of  the  Counoil  of  the  IpdiesonO'ReiUy'f 
acts  in  Louisiana,  which  are  in  manuscript  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  Stat«' 
at  Baton  Bouge. 


■0t> 


^ 


* 


;    l«v' 


!  t 


'i 


i .    :    i 


'i 


ff^ 


4 


20  o'jftBILLY'a   INSTRUCTIONS   TO  COMMANDANTS. 

dmaten  haT)py,  and  to  endear  the  government  of  the  king 
to  his  subjects  by  its  gentleness  and  benefits.  This  end 
will  be  accomplished  by  the  impartial  administration  of 
justice,  by  a  strict  compliance  with  the  orders  of  the 
Governor  General,  and  by  an  enlightened  exhibition  of 

firmness  and  humanity  on  all  occasions.  *  ♦ 

*  «  *  #  *  *  « 

"  It  shall  be  made  known  to  all  the  inhabitants  that, 
by  the  laws  of  his  Majesty,  which  shall  go  into  operation 
in  this  province  on  the  1st  of  December,  lYBO,  it  is  not 
permitted  that  Indians  be  held  in  slavery ;  wherefore, 
from  the  date  of  the  notification  of  these  presents,  no 
one  shall  buy,  exchange,  and  barter,  or  appropriate  to 
himself  Indian  slaves.  They  shall  neither  sell,  nor  in 
any  way  part  with,  those  they  now  have  (unless  it  be 
to  set  them  free),  until  they  hear  further  from  his 
Majesty  on  this  subject.  M.  de  Me^eres  shall  make 
out  an  exact  list  of  the  Indian  slaves  "who  are  within  his 
jurisdiction.  Said  list  sbaU  contain  the  names  of  the 
owners,  the  price  which  they  ask  for  every  one  of  their 
Indian  slaves,  and  the  exact  filiation  of  said  slaves. 
This  wiU  obviate  any  future  abuse  on  a  subject  which 

has  "^o  strongly  excited  the  solicitude  of  our  laws.  * 

*  «  #  *  *  *  « 

"I  have  remarked  a  considerable  number  of  tradei's 

in  the  census  of  Natchitoches.    These  men  can  have  no 

other  object  in  view  than  an  illicit  trade.    Therefore  I 

charge  M,  de  Mezi^res,  most  particularl/,  to  cause  to 

depart  those  named  Menars,  Poeyfarre,  Dartigo,  Durand, 

Duvivier  and  ViUai's,  of  whom  I  knoTV  enough  to  desire 

that  they  be  dig^missed  from  that  post,  and  be  forced  to 

remain  in  this  capital  (New  Orleans),  or  be  eicpeUed 

altogether  from  the  province.  *  *  * 

»  *  «  »  »  *  * 

'*  M.  de  M6zi^res  shall  cause  the  inhabitants  to  make 


* 


f 


'■m 


•%t 


O^BiilLLT's  IN8TRU011ON8  TO  COMMANDANTS. 


21 


to  their  parochial  church  all  the  repairs  which  decency 
and  the  security  of  the  edifice  require.  This  is  the  first 
duty  of  every  good  Christian,  and .  no  one  has  the  right 
nor  the  power  to  refiise  his  contribution  thereto.  M.  de 
Mezi^res  shall  make  known  to  every  inhabitant  the 
equity  of  this  contribution,  and  shall  have  recourse  to 
compulsory  means,  only  when  it  shall  be  absolutely 
necessary,  to  enforce  the  fulfilment  of  so  essential  a 
duty." 

It  is  impossible  not  to  smile  at  the  following  passage : 
"Having  been  informed  by  the  curate  of  Natchitoches 
that,  during  divine  worship,  the  church  is  filled  with 
dogs,  I  request  the  commandant  to  prevent  the  repetition 
of  this  breach  of  decency." 

He  also  gave  a  set  of  instructions  to  the  commandants 
of  the  Coast — -that  is,  all  the  petty  governors  at  the 
diiferent  posts  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi.*  In  the 
16th  Article,  he  said:  "  The  greatest  vigilance  shall  be 
exercised  to  oppose  the  sojourning  of  men  of  bad  morals 
in  those  posts,  in  order  to  prevent  that  any  damage  or 
scandal  result  thereby  to  the  inhabitants ;  and  should 
there  be  such  men  as  above  described,  when  the  com- 
mandants shall  fail  to  change  their  vicious  behavior  by 
admonitions  and  corrections,  then  it  shall  become  the 
duty  of  said  commandants  to  arrest  them,  and  to  send 
them  to  the  Governor  General,  with  an  account  of  the 
causes  of  complaint  laid  against  them."  ^    ' 

The  49th  Article  said :  "  The  ^aforesaid  commandants 
shall  take  special  cai^e,  that  the  inhabitants  carry  on  no 
trado  with  the  English  vessels  which  navigate  the  Mis- 
sissippi, nor  with  any  of  the  settlements  situated  on  the 
territory  of  his  Bntannic  Majesty,  and  thE,u  the  king's 
subjects  do  not  go  out  of  the  limitB  of  this  pi'o\ince, 


94 


ih* 


■■■f 


i-. 


i 


*  T«liientea  particulars  de  la  0<Mte. 


f 


* 


Ik 


22  o'bEILLY^S   IKSTRUCnONS  TO   COMMANDANTS. 


,'1 


fi 


without  a  written  pennission  from  the  Governor  General. 
Those  acting  in  violation  of  the  provisions  of  this  article 
shall  hfi  arrested  by  said  command  mts  and  sent  to  this 
town  (New  Orleans),  in  crder  that  their  case  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  f'lrther  consideration  of  the  government, 
bnt  the  first  proceeding  shall  be  to  sequestrate  their 
property." 

He  caused  to  be  framed  for  the  commandant  at 
Arkansas  a  series  of  instructions,  which  it  is  impossible 
to  read  without  entertainirg  a  high  opinion  of  his 
tf  administrative  talents,  justice  and  humainity.  These 
instructions  descend  into  the  smallest  details,  and  demon- 
strate that  he  was  weU  aware,  as  all  truly  great  minds 
are,  of  the  importance  of  apparently  unimportant 
minutise. 

In  the  3d  Article,  he  expressed  himself  as  follows  : 
"It  shall  be  the  care  of  the  commandant  i hat  every 
thing  oflfered  for  sale  at  that  Post  (Arkansas),  and 
which  may  be  wanted  for  the  sustenance  and  support 
of  the  soldiers,  be  sold  cheap.  There  is  nothing  more 
indispensably  necessary,  in  order  that  the  soldiers  be 
conscious  that  nothing  is  made  out  of  them,  and  that 
their  chief  treats  them  with  the  strictest  equity.  When 
thk  is  not  the  case,  there  never  fail  to  be  murmurs  of 
disc«mtent  and  a  deficiency  of  subordination." 

All  the  regulations  which  he  established,  to  distribute 
the  customary  presents  among  the  Indians,  to  secure  an 
honest  trade  between  them  and  the  Europeans,  and  to 
guard  them  against  deception  and  oppression,  are  equally 
creditable  to  his  head  and  to  his  heart. 

The    fcth    Article    said:    "The    commandant   shall 
'$,  prevent,  &n  niuch  as  may  be  in  his  power,  that  any  dam- 

age be  don?  to  the  English  who  navigate  the  Mississippi, 
and  shall  take  care  that  there  be  no  crossing  over  of  the 
river,  to  infliv'*  any  injury  on  the  subjects  of  his  Britannic 


P 


*# 


*      #  ''^ 


M! 


^ 


O^XUillXT^B  nrSTBUOtlOKB  TO  COMldNDAirrB.  28 

Migesty ;  and  he  ehall  have  recourse  to  every  means,  to 
induce  the  Spaxush  Indians  to  live  in  peace  with  the 
English,  and  also  with  the  other  savage  tribes." 

Instructions  were  sent  in  common  to  the  conmiandants 
at  the  posts  of  St.  Louis  and  St.  Genevidve,  as  well  as  to 
others  eaUliliiJied  on  the  Mieuouri  and  in  the  Dlinois 
district.  The  population  of  St.  I|Ouis  consisted  then  of 
17  males  and  16  females  (free),  of  12  males  and  6 
females  (slaves)  ;  that  of  St.  Genevieve  happened  to  be 
exactly  the  same. 

'  The  instructions  began  with  this  preamble,  full  of 
dignity  and  commendable  sentiments:  *^  The  great 
distance  between  this  capital  and  the  Jllmois  requires 
proportionate  discretion  and  prudence  in  the  comman- 
dant of  that  remote  district.  There  are  three  important 
objects  recommended  to  his  special  vigilance  and  atten- 
tion. Those  are:  that  tha  domination  and  government 
of  his  Majesty  be  loved  and  respected ;  that  justice  be 
administered  with  promptitude  and  impartiality  and  in 
conformity  to  law ;  and  that  commerce  be  protected  and 
extended  as  much  as  possible.  In  order  to  secure  ends 
of  such  moment,  it  is  necessary  that  the  officer  in  com- 
mand should  ma^<9  known,  in  the  most  m^iilest  mtmner, 
the  king's  desire  to  promote  and  protect  the  felicity  of 
his  subjects,  and  should  also  pi'omulgate  the  express 
orders  which  he,  the  officer  in  conmiand,  has  received  to 
discriminate  between  the  good  and  the  wicked,  to  favor 
the  Ibrmer  in  every  thing  licit,  and  to  prosecute  all 
those  who,  through  bad  faith,  deceive  and  ruin  their 
creditors,  and  who,  by  their  flagitious  deportment, 
disturb  public  tranquillity." 

Articles  8  and  4  show  O'BeiUy  to  be  a  man  of  high 
honor  and  of  strict  fidelity,  in  observing  the  faith  of 
treaties^  and  in  respecting  acqmred  rights. , 

.  i^de  8  said ;  >^Should  any  subject a<^  his  Cai^qlic 


"»•*♦' 


ifV'U' 


'"> 


■  h 


» 


■  ([til 


.■* 


t        * 


24  o'bIILLY's   IN8TUlfCTI01*8  TO   COSIMANDAMtS. 


# 


*■  hi; 


Majesty  commit  any  excess  or  trespass  in  the  territory 
of  the  English,  or  oft'er  miy  insult  to  those  of  that  nation 
who  navigate  the  Mississippi,  the  commandant  shall  do 
prompt  justice,  and  shall  give  fall  and  immediate  repa- 
ration, on  the  just  complaints  of  the  English  officer,  but 
without  failing  to  observe  the  formalities  prescribed  by 
law." 

Article  4  :  '*  The  officer  in  command  shall,  as  much  as 
in  his  power  may  be,  prevent  the  Indians  who  dwell  on 
the  king's  territory,  from  inflicting  any  vexation  or 
extortion  on  the  English  who  navigate  the  Mississippi, 
and  from  crossing  that  river  to  give  any  offence  to  the 
subjects  of  his  Britannic  Majesty,  and,  in  every  respect, 
he  shall  predispose  the  Indians  to  be  peaceful  and 
humane  towards  the  English  and  the  other  nations  of 
savages,  and,  to  that  effect,  he  shall  tell  them  that  the 
principles  of  our  religion  and  the  fidelity  of  our  friend- 
ship never  permit  us  to  tolerate,  that  any  injury  be  done 
to  such  as  are  our  friends  and  allies  like  the  English." 

It  is  to  be  remarked,  that  O'Reilly  proscribed  that 
system  of  monopolies  which  the  French  had  adopted  in 
their  commercial  intercourse  with  the  Indians.  Ar- 
ticle 7  of  the  document  to  which  I  have  referred  shows 
it,  and  is  also  a  striking  proof  of  the  solicitude  of  the 
Spanish  governor  to  secure  the  welfare  of  the  abori- 
gines. "No  trader,"  it  said,  "shall  be  ^armitted  to 
introduce  himself  in  the  villages  of  the  Inlians  who 
dwell  on  the  territory  of  his  Majesty,  imless  the  com- 
mandant is  satisfiec^  with  his  morals  and  the  correctness 
of  his  deportment ;  but  said  commandant  shall  not  be 
at  liberty  to  refuse  a  permit  or  license  to  any  one  who 
may  be  known  to  be  an  honest  man,  and,  under  no 
pretext,  shall  }^e  tolerate,  authorize,  or  grant  any  exclu- 
sive privilege  or  monopoly.  He  shall  uniformly  recom- 
mend to  all  the  traders,  to  make  known  to  the  Indians 


«!!»«' 


» 


'    O^BULLY^li   1N8TBUCTI0N8  TO   COMMAND^r^TS.  25 

the  gentleness  and  equity  of  our  government,  and  the 
felicity  which  it  thereby  imparts  to  the  subjects  of  his 
M^eaty." 

In  Article  y,  he  went  en  saying:  "The  comman- 
dant shall  acquaint  the  In<liaAs  with  the  greatness, 
bhc  magnanimity  and  the  geo'^rosity  of  the  king,  and 
shall  inform  them  that  they  nay  expect,  every  year,  to 
receive  the  unual  presents ;  that  his  Mi\jesty  desires  their 
happiness,  and  that  they  must  never  yield  obedience, 
nor  give  credence,  to  any  other  word  than  that  of  the 
Great  Chief,  governor  general  of  the  province,  commu- 
tucated  to  them  through  the  officer  who  shall  have  been 
put  in  command  of  the  post ;  and  he,  the  said  comman- 
dont,  shall  exhort  them  (with  promises  of  fair  rewards), 
to  arrest*  and  deliver  up  whatever  trader  or  fugitive 
who,  in  furtherance  of  wicked  ends  and  intentions,  may 
endeavor  to  inspire  them  with  feelings  of  distrust 
towards  their  true  father,  and  towards  that  nation 
which  deserves,  among  all  others,  the  renown  of  being 
a  magnanimous,  piour»  -lud  justice  loving  nation,  and,  in 
support  of  the  truth  oi  this  declaration,  he  shall  commu- 
nicate to  them  tlie  order  of  the  king  which  prohibits 
that,  in  his  domino  ms,  there  be  made  Indian  slaves,  even 
out  of  the  captiv(  >  of  hostile  tribes." 

Alt.  10.  "  The  commandant  shall  take  care,  that  all  the 
Indians  who  may  come  to  St.  Louis  and  St.  Genevieve  be 
well  treated,  and  be  paid  an  equitable  price  for  the  hides 
they  may  bring  to  market,  and  for  whatever  other  things 
they  may  have  for  sale,  and  that,  in  the  barters  or  pur- 
chases they  may  make,  they  be  served  with  good  faith. 


.,5;i 


*  Airestar  y  traer  preto  &  cualquier  trataute  6  pr6fago  que  por  bus  malo? 
finoa  espareiese  entre  eUos  desoonfianzas  de  sn  verdadero  padre,  ni  de  la  nacion 
qua  in?rece,  entre  todas  las  del  mundo,  el  renombre  de  magoanima,  piadosa  y 
jntticiera,  y,  en  pmeba  de  elld,  iminifestard  la  orden  del  Rey,  para  que  ni  aun 
de  las  nacionea  enemigaa  se  Bufra  en  ras  estados  esclavo  Indio. 


%■■ 


26 


o'rEILLY's   INSTltUCTIONS  TO   COMMANDANTS. 


i  :!.!' 


u. 


'i; 


'  jiri  :0 


til 


■i  *' 


In  this  way,  they  will  derive  more  benefit  from  their  trade 
with  ns ;  they  will  provide  themselves  with  what  then* 
wants  requii'e,  without  its  being  at  the  expense  of  the 
king ;  and  the  English  will  not  reap  all  the  profits  of  a 
commerce  which  ought  to  be  in  our  hands.  The  advan- 
tiiges  of  treating  the  Indians  with  equity  and  benevolence 
have  been  made  apparent  in  this  town,  where,  since  my 
arrival,  on  the  occasion  of  the  distribution  of  the  annual 
presents  to  them,  the  chiefs  of  every  nation  came  to  com- 
pliment me ;  and  now  a  number  of  Indians  are  daily  seen 
here,  with  their  canoes  loaded  with  provisions,  hides,  and 
other  things,  which  they  offer  at  public  sale  for  their  just 
value  ;  and  then,  they  themselves  buy  in  the  shops  what 
they  want,  and  return  home  perfectly  contented." 

These  articles  of  O'Reilly's  instructions  show  that  the 
Spaniards  were  not  disposed  to  pursue  in  Louisiana, 
towards  the  Indians,  the  cruel  policy  which  was  attributed 
to  them  in  their  other  American  domains.  The  rest  of 
O'Reilly's  instructions,  on  all  the  subjects  which  they 
embrace,  are  marked  with  foresight,  prudence,  liberality, 
and  firmness.  They  conclude  with  saying :  "  The  com- 
mandants shall  have  for  invariable  rales:  to  keep  up 
the  strictest  order  and  economy  in  all  that  appertains  to 
the  royal  treasury,  to  cultivate  the  best  harmony  with 
the  English,  to  maintain  tranquillity  and  contentment 
among  the  inhabitants,  to  provide  for  the  increase  of 
commerce  and  its  being  carried  on  in  good  faith,  and  to 
take  care  that  the  Indians  be  well  treated." 

Immediately  after  his  arrival  in  Louisiana,  O'Reilly  had 
taken  an  enlightened  view  of  the  wants  of  the  colony,  as 
appears  by  a  communication  of  the  17th  of  October,  1769, 
which  he  addressed  to  the  Spanish  government,  and  in 
which  he  represents  tih^e  necessity  of  favoring  commerce, 
because,  without  it,  the  colony  could  not  subsist :  "  This 
province,"  he  said,  "wants  Hour,  wine,  oU,  iron  instru- 


#■ 


# 


m 


E 


o'keilly's  enlightened  views. 


..^ 


27 


ments,  arms,  ammunition,  and  every  sort  of  manufactured 
goods  for  clothing  and  other  domestic  purposes.  These 
can  only  be  obtained  through  the  exportation  of  its  pro- 
ductions, which  consist  of  timber,  indigo,  cotton,  furs,  and 
a  small  quantity  of  corn  and  rice.  In  Spain  there  would 
be  no  market  for  the  timber  of  the  colonists,  which  is  one 
of  the  most  important  sources  of  their  revenues.  Of  all 
our  colonies,  the  Havana  is  the  only  place  where  this  kind 
of  produce  could  be  disposed  of.  According  to  my  con- 
ceptions, the  importation  of  it  into  that  city  would  be 
advantageous  both  to  the  king  and  to  the  island  of  Cuba. 
To  the  king,  because  he  would  preserve  for  the  use  of 
his  royal  navy  the  cedars  which  are  now  employed  to 
make  sugar  boxes,  and  because,  with  the  Cuba  timber, 
he  could  have  the  lining  of  his  ships  and  many  other 
works  done  at  a  much  cheaper  rate ;  to  the  island, 
because  its  inhabitants  could  cause  their  sugar  boxes  and 
the  other  works  required  by  them,  to  be  made  in  Havana 
at  less  cost  with  the  Louisiana  planks. 

"  By  granting  to  this  province,  as  formerly  to  Florida, 
the  benefit  of  a  free  trade  with  Spain  and  with  Havana^ 
its  inhabitants  would  find  in  that  very  city  of  Havana  a 
market  for  all  their  produce,  and  would  provide  them- 
selves there  with  all  the  articles  of  which  they  stand  in 
need.  The  t«tablishing  of  sugar  mills  would  be  increased, 
by  thus  aflfovding  to  the  planters  of  Cuba  an  outlet  for 
all  the  rum  ma>mfactured  by  them,  and  which  is  lost  for 
want  of  consumers.  The  consumption  of  this  article 
would  be  considerable  here,  and  every  barrel  of  it  would 
put  two  dollars  into  the  king's  treasury,  through  the 
■export  duty  paid  in  Havana.  But,  for  the  better  regula- 
tion of  tJiis  trade,  and  to  make  it  reciprocally  advanta- 
geous, it  seems  to  me  proper  and  necessary,  that  the 
timber,  furs,  indigo,  cotton,  com  and  rice  of  this  province 
should  pay  no  entry  duty  in  Havana,  and  that  no  other 


# 


-<*"■" -^4.. 


m- 


%' 


28 


ON   THE   COMMERCIAL   WANl'S   OF   THE   COLONY. 


n  1 


i: 


V 


new  excise  or  export  tax  be  imposed  on  any  of  the  arti- 
cles whicli  may  be  exported  from  Havana  to  New 
Orleans. 

"It  would  also  be  proper,  that  the  vessel^  belonging 
to  this  colony  be  received  in  Havana ,  and  the  ports  of 
Spain  on  the  same  condition  and  footing  with  Spanish 
vessels,  but  with  the  understanding  that  no  vessels,  except 
they  be  Spanish,  or  belong  to  the  colony,  shall  be  ad- 
#  mitted  in  this  port,  or  employed  in  transporting  goods, 
and  that  this  be  recommended  to  the  special  care  of  my 
successors. 

"From  Catalonia  there  would  come  ships  with  red 
wine ;  here  they  would  take  a  cargo  of  timber  and  other 
articles  for  Havana,  and  they  would  load  with  sugar. 

"  I  found  the  English  in  complete  possession  of  the 
commerce  of  the  colony.  They  had  in  this  town  their 
merchants  and  trad€rs  with  open  stores  and  shops,  and  I 
^5,  can  safely  assert  that  they  pocketed  nine  tenths  of  the 
money  spent  here.  The  commerce  of  'France  used  to 
receive  the  productions  of  the  colony  in  payment  of  the 
aiiicles  imported  into  it  from  the  mother  country ;  but 
the  English,  selling  their  goods  much  cheaper,  had  the 
gathering  of  all  the  money.  I  drove  off  all  the  English 
traders  and  the  other  individuals  of  that  nation  whom  I 
found  in  this  town,  and  I  shall  admit  here  none  of  their 
vessels." 
^  In  a  despatch  of  the  1st  of  March,  1*770,  O'Reilly  took 
,^  credit  to  himself  for  having  reduced  the  annual  expenses 
l|of  the  colony,  from  $250,000  to  $130,000,  by  the  eco- 
nomical retrenchments  which  he  had  introduced  into  the 
administration  of  the  province,  and  applied  to  the  salaries 
of  its  officers ;  and  he  informed  the  government,  that  the 
religious  wants  of  the  colony  would  require  the  permanent 
employment  of  eighteen  priests.  In  the  same  despatch, 
he  said:  "I  visited  and  examined  in  person  the  most 


#■ 


# 


Mi: 


* 


"9F*f 


-  -f: 


# 


4- 


o'keilly's  liberal  policy. 


29 


populous  parts  of  this  province,  by  proceeding  from 
tlds  capital  to  Pointe  Coupfee,  which  is  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  up  the  river,  and  I  took  care,  as  I  progressed 
along,  to  convene  the  inhabitants  in  every  district,  at  the 
most  convenient  place  for  them,  where  I  listened  to  their 
grievances  and  provided  a  remedy  thereto,  by  referring 
them  to  the  arbitration  of  their  best  informed  neighbors, 
without  having  recourse  to  the  judicial  tribunals,  and,  in 
this  way,  I  gave  those  people  a  very  favorable  opinion  of 
the  government  of  his  majesty,  and  I  succeeded  in  ob- 
taining that  the  arbitrators  named  by  the  respective 
parties  be  acceptable  to  them,  on  account  of  their  being 
chosen  among  the  men  enjoying  the  best  reputation ;  and 
by  these  means,  I  have  procured  that  the  new  govern- 
ment be  grateful  to  the  inhabitants. 

"  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  acquiesce  in  the  prayer  of 
the  inhabitants  in  almost  every  district,  that  a  surveyor 
be  appointed  to  measure  the  lands  and  determine  their 
limits,  but  I  reduced  the  salary  of  that  officer  to  half  of 
what  it  was  formerly,  and  I  decreed  that,  for  the  fdtxire, 
it  be  paid  out  of  the  sale  of  the  crops  of  the  inhabitants, 
at  the  price  fixed  for  their  commodities  at  New  Orleans. 

"  So  far,  the  concessions  of  land  in  this  province  had 
been  intrusted  by  his  most  Christian  Majesty  to  the  Go- 
vernor and  to  the  ordaining  commissary,  and  the  concur- 
rence of  both  was  necessary  thereto ;  but  I  have  thought 
it  advisable,  that,  for  the  future,  the  Governor  be  the  only 
one  authorized  by  the  King  to  make  such  concessions; 
andy  for  the  apportionment  of  the  ]ands  belonging  to  the 
royal  domain,  I  have  appointed  a  council  of  twenty-four 
persons,  known  for  their  practical  sense  and  information^ 
and  for  thdr  sound  judgment." 

O'Eeilly,  with  striking  liberality,  and,  no  doubt,  also 
from  motives  of  sound  policy,  appointed  almost  none  but 
tVenchmen  to  the  command  of  the  several  posts,  even  the 


If' 


^i 


i;'! 


,i',m 


h 


'■vi- 


30 


* 


EAISING   OF  HIE  LOUISIANA  REGIMENT. 


most  distant,  and,  therefore,  all  the  instructions  which  he 
gave  them  were  originally  drawn  in  French.  They  were 
afterwards  translated  into  Spanish;  and  sent  to  the  court 
of  Madrid  for  ics  approbation. 

In  conformity  with  the  orders  of  the  king,  a  re^ment 
was  raised  in  the  colony  under  the  name  of  "  Regiment 
of  liouisiana,"  and  Don  J.  Estecheria  was  appointed  its 
Colonel.  But  this  officer  having  not  as  yet  arrived,  Un- 
zaga,  who  was  to  succeed  O'Reilly  as  governor  of  the 
province,  undertook  to  organize  the  regiment,  and  assumed 
its  command  provisionally.  O'Reilly  sent  commissions  to 
all  those  whom  IJlloa  had,  in  his  despatches,  represented 
as  well  affected  towards  Spain,  and  those  commissions 
were  eagerly  accepted.  There  was  no  want  of  a  keen 
desire  to  gird  on  the  sword  of  command,  under  a  govern- 
ment which  granted  so  many  privileges  to  the  wearers 
of  epaulets.  The  pay  of  the  Spanish  troops  being 
greater  than  that  formerly  allowed  ^  to  the  French,  a 
cei*tain  number  of  disbanded  French  soldiers,  who  had 
remained  in  the  colony,  were  tempted  to  enlist,  and  the 
"  regiment  of  Louisiana"  was  soon  complete.  It  is  an 
admitted  fact,  that  the  Creoles  of  those  days  were 
remarkable  for  their  great  size,  for  the  stateliness  of  theii* 
bearing,  for  those  peculiarly  striking  lineaments  v».iich 
constitute  the  nobility  of  the  face,  and  for  the  elegant 
symmetry  of  their  forms.  O'Reilly  is  said  to  have  been 
so  much  st^'uck  wi^h  this  characteristic  distinction  in  the 
Creole  officers  of  the  regiment  of  Louisiana,  that  he 
regretted  his  inability  to  take  with  him  some  of  them  to 
Spain  and  to  Charles  III.,  as  a  fail'  specimen  of  the  new 
subjecte  acquired  by  his  Catholic  Majesty. 

The  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  in  New  Orleans  had  pro- 
duced a  considerable  increase  of  population,  and  the 
provisions  which  they  expected  having  been  unaccount', 
ably  delayed,  the  colony  was  threatened  with  famiae 


(  ■.,., 


M 


■¥ 


^■^  A 


INAUGURATIO>T   OF  THE   CABILDO. 


81 


rhe  prieo  of  flour  ran  up  to  twenty  dollars  a  barrel; 
fortunately,  there  arrived  from  Baltimore  a  brig,  with  a 
cajgo  of  flour  belonging  to  one  Oliver  Pollock,  who 
tendered  it  to  O'Reilly  on  the  terms  which  that  officer 
might  himself  determine.  O'Reilly  refused  to  avail 
himself  of  this  liberal  offer,  insisted  on  Pollock's  specify- 
ing his  price,  and  finally  agreed  to  take  the  whole  load 
of  flour  at  fifteen  dollars  the  barrel.  The  Spanish 
governor  was  so  well  pleased  with  Pollock's  behavior 
on  this  occasion,  that  he  told  him  he  would  report  it  to 
the  king,  and  assured  him  that  he.  Pollock,  during  his 
lifetime,  should  enjoy,  for  all  the  merchandise  which  his 
brig  could  caiTy,  a  free  trade  with  Louisiana.  A  very 
valuable  privilege,  forsooth,  if  it  had  been  long  enjoyed  ! 
But  it  is  not  in  evidence  that  such  was  the  case. 

The  new  CabUdo  was  solemnly  inaugurated,  and  began 
its  sessions  on  the  first  day  of  Decembei,  1*769.  It  was 
composed  of  Francois  Marie  Reggio,  Pierre  Fran9ois 
Olivier  de  Vezin,  Charles  Jean  Baptiste  Fleuriau,  An- 
toine  Bienvenu.  Joseph  Ducros,  and  Denis  Brand. 
Jean  Baptiste  Garic,  who  had  been  clerk  of  the  Superior 
Council,  had  bought  the  same  office  in  the  Cabildo. 
Reggio  was  alferez  real,  De  Vezin  principal  provincial 
alcalde,  Fleuriau  alguazil  mayor,  or  high  sheriff  Ducros 
depositaiy  general,  and  Bienvenu  receiver  of  fines. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1Y70,  the  Cabildo  elected  as 
ordinary  alcaldes  St.  Denis  and  De  La  Chaise.  One 
was  a  descendant  of  the  celebrated  St.  Denis,  whose  name 
is  so  chivalrously  connected  with  the  histoiy  of  Louisiana, 
and  the  other  was  the  gi'andson  of  the  royal  Commissary 
De  La  Chaise^  who  had  come  to  the  colony  in  1728,  and 
W4B  a  brother-in4aw  to  VUlere,  whose  tragical  death  had 
so  recently  taken  place.  These  facts  seem  to  prove,  that 
the  horror  produced  by  the  executicm  of  Lafreniere  and 
iaa  companions  was  not  so  gi'eat  as  reported  by  tradition, 


*. 


'>3« 


''''mp-'' 

'?"■ 

«" 

s^s 

c    ■ 

— -Jtl, -__ — — „ 

]£ 

•:  i  fT.-^Zf^fgmmamm 


-v  ."I 

' }>■  ■   *f>;  I ... 


In 


! 


,1 


fit!,. 


r ' 


m 


32 


CONCESSIONS   OF  VACANT  LANDS. 


and  tliat  the  Spaniards  did  not  think  themselves  so 
hiited  as  they  have  been  represented  to  be,  since  they 
iiitnisted  so  many  important  offices  and  the  command  of* 
the  most  distant  posts  to  almost  none  but  Frenchmen. 
It  cannot  certainly  be  denied,  that,  on  their  part,  it 
denoted  at  least  confidence  and  liberality. 

Don  Luis  de  Unzaga  had  been  designated  to  succeed 
O'Reilly,  who  had  been  sent  to  Louisiana  only  for  tem- 
porary purposes.  As  a  preliminary  step  and  a  prelude 
to  a  transfer  of  his  powers  to  that  officer,  O'Reilly, 
immediately  after  the  organization  of  the  Cabildo,  ceded 
to  him  the  presidency  of  that  body,  in  which  he  ceased 
to  appear.  About  the  middle  of  December,  1769,  he 
had  gone  up  the  Mississippi,  to  visit  the  establishments 
at  the  German  Coast,  the  Acadian  Coast,  Iberville,  and 
Pointe  Coupee.  In  all  the  parishes  through  which  he 
passed,  he  convened  the  inhabitants,  as  he  mentions  it  in 
one  of  his  despatches,  which  I  have  already  cited,  and 
invited  them  to  makr  known  their  wishes  and  wants, 
promising  to  satisfy  them  to  the  utmost  of  his  powers. 

On  his  return  to  New  Orleans,  O'Reilly  published  a 
set  of  regulations  concerning  the  concessions  of  vacant 
lands: 

"Divers  complaints  and  petitions,"  said  be,  "  which 
have  been  addressed  to  us  by  the  '.nhabitants  of  Ope- 
loussas,  Attakapas,  Natchitoches  f  ,nd  other  places  of 
this  province,  jomed  to  the  knowle  Ige  we  have  acquii-ed 
of  the  local  concerns,  culture,  anc  means  of  the  inha- 
bitants, by  the  visit  which  we  have  lately  paid  to  the 
German  Coast,  to  Iberville  and  Poiute  Coupee,  with  the 
examination  we  have  made  of  the  reports  of  the  inhabit- 
ants assembled  by  our  order  in  eush  district,  having 
convinced  us  that  the  tranquillity  of  the  sa^d  inhabitants 
and  the  progress  of  caltivation  required  a  new  regula- 
tion, which  should  fix  the  extent  of  the  grants  of  land 


# 


4 


.  <\ 


REGULATIONS  FOR  GRAKTB  OF  LAND. 


33 


to  l)ft  livireafter  i)[iade,  a3  well  as  determine  the  enclosures 
to  be  put  up,  the  lands  to  be  cleared,  the  roads  and 
bridges  to  be  kept  in  repair  by  the  inhabitants,  and 
specify  what  is  the  sort  of  damage  done  by  cattle  for 
which  the  proprietors  shall  be  responfeible— for  these 
causes,  and  having  nothing  in  view  but  the  public  good 
ani  the  happiness  of  every  inhabitant — after  having 
advised  with  persons  well  informed  ir;  these  matters, 
we  have  regulated  all  these  objects  in  the  following 
articles."* 

Affcer  having  ordered,  that,  for  the  future,  grants  of 
land  should  not  exceed  a  certain  extent,  and, having 
entered  into  many  minute  regulations,  he  says: 

Art.  12-— "All  grants  shall  be  made  in  the  name  of  the 
king,  by  the  Governor  General  of  the  province,  who  wiU, 
at  the  same  time,  appoin^;  a  surveyor  to  fix  the  bounds 
thereof,  both  in  front  and  in  depth,  in  presence  of 
the  ordinary  judge  of  the  district  and  of  two  adjoining 
settlei-s,  who  shall  be  present  at  the  survey.  The  above 
mentioned  four  persons  shall  sign  the  proces-verbal 
which  shall  be  made  thereof,  and  the  surveyor  shall 
make  three  copies  of  the  same ;  one  of  which  shall  be 
deposited  in  the  office  of  the  Escribano  of  the  govern- 
ment and  Cabildo,  another  shall  be  delivered  to  the 
Governor  General,  and,  the  third  to  the  proprietor,  to 
ba  annexed  to  the  titles  of  his  grant. 

"In  pursuance  of  the  powers  which  the  king,  oiir 
Lord,  (whom  God  preserve  !)  has  been  pleased  to  con- 
fide to  us  by  his  patent  issued  at  Aranjuez,  on  the  16th 
of  April,  1769,  to  establish  in  the  military  and  in  the 
police  liepartments,  in  the  administration  of  justice  and 
in  the  colonial  finances,  such  reguMions  as  should  be 
most  conducive  to  his  service  and  to  ^e  happiness  of  hi? 


*  American  State  Papers,  toL  i,  p.  8Y6.    MiaceUaneout. 


# 


^*# 


■fi 


*-m: 


jiusauiusmmm 


•# 


H 


NEW  ORLEANS — TI9  ANNUAL  REVENUE. 


'■  f.l 


subjects  in  Louisiana,  under  the  reserve  of  his  Majesty's 
approbation,  we  order  and  command  the  governor, 
judges,  cabUdo,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  province, 
to  conform  punctually  to  all  that  is  required  by  these 
regulations. 
"Given  at  New  Orleans,  the  18th  of  February,  17 TO." 
It  will  be  observed  that  O'Reilly,  who  had  come  to 
Louisiana  as  the  delegate  of  royalty  itself,  and  who  was 
invested,  as  such,  with  unbounded  powers  of  legislation, 
prescribed  the  manner  in  which  all  future  concessions 
of  land  should  be  made  by  the  governors  of  Louisiana, 
and  determined  with  precision  the  extent  of  those  con- 
cessions, which  were  not  to  exceed  certain  limits.  Hence 
it  follows,  that  it  is  questionable  whether  some  of  those 
immense  grants  of  land  wliich  were  made  at  a  later 
period  by  the  governors  of  Louisiana  had  the  requisite 
validity,  except  it  be  shown  that  the  limitations  assigned 
by  O'Reilly  to  his  successors,  in  the  name  of  the  king, 
had  been  subsequently  repealed  or  modified. 

By  an  ordinance  of  the  22d  of  February,  1770,  O'Reilly 
provided  a  revenue  for  the  town  of  New  Orleans.  An 
annual  tax  of  forty  dollars  was  to  be  levied  on  every 
tavern,  billiard  table,  and  coffee  house,  and  one  of  twenty 
dollara  on  every  boarding  ho'ise ;  a  duty  of  one  dollar 
was  to  \8  charged  on  every  baiTel  of  brandy  brought  to 
the  town;  and  O'Reilly  graciously  accepted  and  sanc- 
tioned a  proposition  liberally  made  by  tiif)  butchers,  to 
pay  an  annual  contribution  of  three  hundred  and  seventy 
dollars  into  the  coffers  of  the  town,  to  meet  municipal 
expenses.  In  makii^  this  offer,  these  butchers  expressly 
declared,  that  they  (fid  not  mean  to  justify  thereby  any 
alteration  on  their  part,  now  and  thereafter,  in  the  price 
of  meat— which  alteration,  they  said,  ought  never  to  take 
place  wii^ont  extreme  necessity.    It  was  estimated  that, 


.# 


m- 


COMMERCIAL   REGULATIONS. 


85 


mth.  all  these  branches  of  revenue,  the  annual  income  of 
the  town  would  amount  to  ♦wo  thousand  dollars.* 

As  the  town  was  put  to  con5«Merable  expense,  to  keep 
up  the  levee  which  protected  it  against  inundation,  it  was 
authorized  to  collect  an  anchorage  duty  of  six  dollars 
from  every  vessel  of  two  hundred  tons  and  upwarfls,  and 
half  that  sum  from  smaller  ones. 

On  both  sides  of  the  public  square  or  Place  d'*armes^ 
froiL  Levee  to  Chartres  and  Cond6  streets,  there  was  ii 
large  space  of  ground  facing  on  St.  Peter's  and  St.  Anne's 
streets,  with  a  front  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-six  feet 
on  both  these  streets,  and  eighty-four  feet  in  depth. 
O'Reilly  granted  to  the  town,  in  the  name  of  the  king, 
the  whole  of  that  space  of  ground,  which  was  soon  after- 
wards sold  to  Don  Andres  Almonaster  on  a  perpetual 
yearly  rent.f  It  is  still  owned  by  his  daughter,  the 
baroness  of  Portalba,  who  has  lately  covered  it  with 
buildings  of  an  imposing  aspect,  by  which  she  has  con- 
siderably embellished  the  great  commercial  emporium  to 
which  she  is  indebted  for  her  birth  and  wealth. 

O'Reilly  expressly  prohibited  the  purchase  of  anything 
from  persons  navigating  the  Mississippi,  or  the  lakes, 
without  a  passport  or  license.  J  It  was,  however,  permitted 
to  sell  fowls  and  other  articles  of  provisions  to  boats  and 
vessels,  provided  the  fowls  and  provisions  were  delivered 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  payment  received  in  ready 
coin. 

Persons  violating  this  prohibition  were  liable  to  a  fine 
of  one  hundred  dollars,  and  to  tiie  confiscation  of  the 
articles  so  purchased,  one  third  of  the  whole  being  the 
reward  of  the  informed 


# 


*  Qn«  c  on  todos  los  exprcsado*  rdmoa  podran  stoender  los  proprioa  de  I«  oiQdod 
&  2000  p<>M«  ftiertes. — See  the  Beeorda  of  th«  d«Ub«ratioiM  ili  Idbo  CqupoU  of  th« 
Indieft  on  O'Reilly's  acta  in  Louiailtna. 

f  Martin's  History  of  Louiuapa.  (  Ibid. 


# 


« 


'#, 


^' 


86 


THE  OAPUCHINB   AND  THE  NUNS. 


m 


No  chntige  was  effected  in  the  ecclesiastical  organiza- 
tion of  the  province.  The  old  Snperior  of  the  capuchins, 
the  reverend  father  Dagobert,  remained  in  the  undis- 
turbed exercise  of  his  pastoral  functions,  as  curate  of  New 
Orleans,  and  in  the  administration  of  this  southern  part 
of  the  diocese  of  Quebec,  of  which  the  Canadian  bishop 
had  constituted  him  vicar  general.  The  other  capuchins 
were  maintained  in  the  curacies  of  th  "r  respective 
parishes. 

It  may  be  remembered  that,  in  1726,  the  Ursuline 
Nuns,  by  the  agi*eement  which  they  had  made  with  the 
India  Company,  had  bound  themselves  to  take  charge  of 
the  Charity  Hospital  in  New  Orleans.  Displeased  proba- 
bly with  this  kind  of  service,  the  Nuns  had,  in  the  course 
of  time,  obtained  from  the  Pope  a  bull  releasing  them,  it 
seems,  from  their  obligation,  which  had  become  merely 
nominal,  being  confined  to  the  daily  attendance  of  two 
nuns,  during  the  visit  of  the  king's  physician.*  After 
having  noted  down  his  prescriptions,  they  withdrew, 
contenting  themselves  with  the  easy  task  of  sending  from 
their  dispensary  in  the  convent  the  medicines  he  had 
ordered.  The  Catholic  king,  to  show  his  regard  for  this 
religious  corporation,  decided  that  two  of  the  Nuns  should 
be  maintained  at  his  own  expense,  for  each  of  whom 
sixteen  dollars  was  to  be  paid  monthly  to  the  convent 
out  of  his  royal  treasury. 

Don  Joseph  de  Loyola,  who  had  come  to  Louisiana 
with  Ulloa,  in  1766,  as  intendant  died  in  1770,  and  his 
functions  were  discharged  ad  interim  by  Don  Estevan 
Gayarre,  the  royal  comptroller,  or  contador. 

Don  Cecilio  Odoardo  arriving  with  the  commission  of 
auditor  of  war  and  assessor  of  government,  Jose  de  Ur- 
rustia  and  Felix  del  Rey,  those  two  learned  men  in  the 
law,  who  had  been  the  advisers  of  O'Reilly,  and  who  had 


*  M&rtin's  History  of  LonioiMia. 


W 


^4 


Jr 


%: 


•^■^ 


TIIE   FRENCH   BLACK  COPE   BE-ENACTED. 


37 


been  discharging  the  duties  now  imposed  on  Odonrdo, 
departed  for  Havana. 

Bob6  Desclozeaux,  who,  on  the  death  of  Michel  de  la 
Rouvilli^re,  in  1759,  had  acted  as  commissary  general  iid 
interim,  remained  in  New  Orleans  by  order  of  the  king 
of  France,  with  the  consent  of  the  king  of  Spain,  to  call 
in  and  redeem  the  paper  money  which  had  beei^  emitted 
by  the  former  colonial  administration,  and  of  which  a 
very  considerable  quantity  waa  still  in  circulation. 

When  Louisiana  was  ceded  ♦.o  Spain,  there  were  pend- 
ing in  France  several  appeals  from  the  judgments  of  the 
Superior  Council.  On  the  6th  of  April,  1770,  the  king 
of  France,  through  his  council  of  state,  declared  that  he 
could  no  longer  take  cognizance  of  said  appeals,  because, 
when  parting  with  Louisiana,  he  had  also  parted  with 
the  firet  and  most  glorimisof  his  rights^  that  of  rendei^ing 
justice  in  that  proviuGe^^whereioTe  he  ordered  that  all  the 
cases  which  inight  still  be  on  the  dockets  of  any  of  his 
courts,  be  transferred  to  the  tribunals  of  Spain,  by  which 
they  were  to  be  decided. 

O'Reilly  thought  it  necessary,  by  a  special  procla- 
mation, to  re-enact  the  Black  Code  which  Louis  XV. 
had  given  to  the  province.  This  seems  to  confirm  the 
opinion,  that  the  French  laws  were  considered  by  the 
Spanish  government  as  virtually  abrogated  by  the  pub* 
lication  of  the  ordinance  subjecting  the  colony  to  the 
laws  of  the  Indies.  A  short  time  after,  O'Reilly  having 
completed  the  mission  for  which  he  had  been  clothed 
with  extraordinary  powers,  and  temporarily  sent  to  Louu 
siana,  delivered  up  the  government  of  the  province  to 
Don  Louis  de  Unzaga,  and  deported,  on  t^e  29th  of 
October,  1770. 

Judge  Martin,  in  his  History  of  Louisiana,  says : 
"  Charles  III.  disapproved  of  O'Reilly's  conduct,  and  he 
received,  on  his  landing  at  Cadiz,  an  order  prohibiting 


^o. 


(*■ 


'""■1 


m 


ill 


'! 


m 


88  o'reilly's  administration  afpboved  by  the  kino. 

his  appearance  at  court."  This  assertion  seenis  to  rest 
only  on  the  very  fallible  authority  of  tradition,  and  is 
certainly  irreconcilable  with  official  documents  on  record.. 
Thus,  on  the  28th  of  January,  17T1,  the  king  of  Spain 
sent  to  his  Council  of  the  Indies  a  communication,  in 
which  he  informed  them,  that  he  submitted  to  their  con- 
sideration  oil  the  acts  of  O^Roilly's  administration  in 
Louisiana,  which  he  fully  approved,  but  on  which,  never- 
theless, he  wished  to  have  the  opinion  of  his  faithful 
council.  The  answer  was :  that  the  council,  having  care- 
fully examined  all  the  documents  to  which  the  king  had 
called  their  attention,  could  discover  in  the  acts  of 
O'Reilly  nothing  which  did  not  deserve  the  most  decided 
approbation,  and  which  was  not  a  striking  proof  of  the 
extraordinary  genius  of  that  general  officer.  Would 
such  ftn  encomium  have  l>een  bestowed  on  hin\,  if  he  had 
been  even  suspected  of  having  excited  the  slightest  royal 
displeasure  ?  Not  only  all  his  acts,  but  also  all  his  sug- 
gestions were  sanctioned,  wi^h  one  solitary  exception, 
which  seems  to  give  still  more  force  to  the  sweeping 
commendation  expressed,  as  to  every  thing  else,  by  the 
king  and  his  council.  This  exception  is  relative  to  the 
6th  article  of  section  5  on  punishments,  in  which  O'Reilly 
said.  "The  married  woman  convicted  of  adultery,  and 
he  who  has  conmdtted  the  same  with  her,  shall  be 
delivered  up  to  the  husband,  in  order  that  he  may  do 
with  them  what  he  pleases,  with  this  reserve,  however, 
that  he  shall  not  put  one  of  them  to  death,  without 
inflicting  the  same  punishment  on  the  other.''  The  coun-'^ 
cil  declared  that  this  article,  "  The  perusal  of  which  had 
proved  sufficiently  disgusting  to  them,  should  be  con- 
sidered*, as  of  no  effect,  and  as  having  never  been  writ- 

*  8e  oonaideraM  coiao  Boapenso  y  no  etarito  el  art  6,  que  dice ;  "La  muger 
c&sada  que  adultere  y  el  adultero  sean  entregado*  al  marido  para  que  jiaga 
de  ellos  lo  qae  quiera,  coa  tal  que  no  pueda  matar  al  uno  ain  matar  al  otro."  El 
cunl  caustf  bastante  repugnancia  al  ticmpo  de  leerse. 


w 


t 


If. 


0*tlEIL&TV  dUBAODCIt. 


39 


ten.''  Thifl  article,  however,  had  not  been  devised  hy 
O'Reilly,  but  was  borrowed  from  book  8  of  the  "  Nu  vo 
Reoopilacion  de  Castilla"  (new  digest  of  the  laws  of 
Castile).  It  is  besides  well  known  that  O'Reilly  remained 
high  in  favor  at  court,  until  the  death  of  Charles  III. 

The  motto  on  O'Reilly's  coat  of  arms  was :  "  fortitndine 
et  prudentid ;"  and  he  seems  not  to  have  been  deficient 
in  the  possession  of  both  these  virtues.  But  there  is 
hardly  an  instance,  when  blood  shed  in  a  political  cause, 
whatever  may  have  been  the  just  and  apparent  neces- 
sity of  it  at  the  time,  did  not,  sooner  or  later,  rise  from 
the  earth,  to  cloud  in  the  eye  of  the  world  the  fame  of 
the  author  or  adviser  of  the  deed.  This  has  become  an 
histoiical  truth,  and  is  confirmed  by  what  O'Reilly's 
memory  has  suffered,  in  consequence  of  the  execution  of 
Lafreniere  and  his  companions.  He  was  not,  however, 
the  blood-thirsty  tyrant  that  he  was  represented  to  be, 
and  never,  except  on  this  occasion,  in  the  whole  course 
of  a  long  public  life,  which  was  exposed  to  the  scrutiny 
of  those  who  hated  him  as  a  foreigner,  and  envied  him 
as  one  of  the  king's  favorites,  did  he  ever  give  the 
slightest  cause  to  accuse  him  of  not  having  been  always 
attentive  to  the  dictates  of  humanity.  His  talents  as  a 
military  man,  and  as  an  udministrator  when  discharging 
the  functions  of  a  civil  officer,  cannot  be  the  object  of  a 
doubt,  and  it  must  even  be  admitted  that  they  were  of 
a  superior  order. 

AVTien  in  Louisiana,  he  was  no  more  than  thirty-four 
or  thirty-five  years  old.  There  he  left  a  reputation  of 
strict  morality  and  military  precision.  Fond  of  pomp, 
and  somewhat  ostentatious  in  all  his  tastes,  naturally 
gay,  and  animated  with  strong  sociable  dispositions,  he, 
nevertheless,  was  not  addicted  to  pleasure,  and  he  de- 
voted himself  entirely  to  the  business  he  had  on  hand. 
He  was  exceedingly  prompt,  exact  and  active,  and  he 


0 


ij;?-'|y- 


■^. 


• 


» 


.■■  :!:f3 


40 


o'rEILLy's  cnABAOTEB. 


required  the  same  qualificationa  in  lis  subt>rdinates.  By 
a  proper  and  systematic  distribution  of  his  time,  to 
which  he  inflexibly  adhered,  he  could  get  on,  with 
astonishing  ease  and  rapidity,  through  an  immense  deal 
of  labor,  and  he  left  nothing  to  be  done  by  others 
which  he  cbuld  do  himself.  He  emphatically  was  a 
man  of  action,  a  lover  of  the  camp,  as  his  predecessor, 
Ulloa,  was  a  man  of  study,  a  lover  of  meditation  and 
scientific  speculations.  It  was  said  that  he  endeavored, 
as  far  aa  possible,  to  see  every  thing  with  his  own  eyes, 
andy  when  he  had  to  trust  others,  he  never  failed  to 
descend  into  the  minutest  details  of  the  duties  which  he 
expected  them  to  fulfil.  Not  only  was  O'Reilly  exces- 
sively urbane  in  his  social  and  official  intercourse,  but 
distinguished  also  for  the  exquisite  refinemeat  of  those 
courtly  manners  which  have  now  almost  ceased  to  be 
a  reality,  and  the  recollection  of  which  wiU  soon  fade 
away  into  vague  and  dreamy  traditions.  But  he  was  of 
an  irritable  temper,  and  liable  to  fits  of  haughtiness  on 
the  slightest  appearance  of  what  he  supposed  to  be 
premeditated  contradiction  or  opposition.  Preserving 
all  the  vivacity,  excitability,  and  sprightly  wit  of  the 
Irish  temperament,  lie  was  rem^kably  animated  in  con- 
versation,  and  seemed  to  have  a  relish  and  a  turn  of 
mind  for  a  good  joke.  He  cultivated  with  sedulous 
attention  the  society  of  some  families  with  which  he 
-jeemed  to  be  highly  pleased,  and  which  he  always 
treated  with  deferential  courtesy.  Escorted  by  a  few 
dragoons,  his  carriage  was  frequently  seen  driving  at  a 
rapid  pace  up  the  Coast,  where  he  used,  in  his  moments 
of  leisure,  to  visit  a  family  residing  a  lew  miles  from  the 
town,  and  in  which  he  found  himself  in  an  atmosphere 
reminding  him  of  that  of  the  best  European  society. 
One  day,  when,  according  to  his  habit,  he  had  provoked 
a  keen  encounter  of  wits  with  the  lady  of  the  manor, 


• 


jk 


u 


# 


^- 


o'reilly's  CHAAAOIEE. 


4t 


being  stung  by  a  sbarp  repartee,  his  lAsty  temper 
betrayed  lum,  and  he  forgot  himself  so  far  as  to  say, 
with  a  tone  of  oommand:  "Madam,  do  you  forget  who 
lam?"  "  No,  «ir,"  answered  the  lady,  with  a  low  bow, 
"but  I  have  associated  with  those  who  were  higher 
than  you  are,  and  who  took  care  never  to  forget  what 
sW$^  due  to  others  J  hence,  they  never  found  it  necessary 
to  put  any  one  in  mind  of  what  they  were."  Nettled 
at  this  proud  answeir.  Count  O'ReDly  departed  instantly, 
but  returned  the  next  day  with  a  good-humored  smile, 
and  an  apology  befitting  a  gentleman  of  his  rank. 
Finally,  he  became  a  much  valued  friend,  where  at  first 
he  had  merely  teen  a  guest,  and,  to  complete  the 
description  of  his  character,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  add, 
that,  whatever  may  have  been  some  of  his  errors,  he 
won  esteem  and  affection  wherever  he  was  intimately 
known. 


^*J 


t 


IN 


m 


,l.|l:.l«l 


■■ 


H 


L'f  iris: 


CHAPTER  n. 

UNZAGA's  ADMmiSTRATIOir. 

1110  to  1776. 


The  departure  of  O'Reilly  for  Spain  was  soon  followed 
by  that  of  the  royal  comptroller,  Don  Estevan  Gayarre. 
ITiis  officer  had  applied  to  the  court  for  leave  to  return 
to  Spain,  and  to  be  put  on  the  list  of  retired  pensioners, 
on  account  of  his  many  years  of  service  and  of  his  im- 
paired vision.  On  the  22d  of  September,  1770,  the  Mar- 
quis of  Grimaldi  wrote  to  the  royal  comptroller  a  lett^ 
in  which  he  informed  him  that  the  favor  for  which  he 
had  petitioned  (his  return  to  Spain)  was  granted,  and 
requested  him,  on  his  arrival  in  the  Peninsula,  to  give 
information  of  it  and  of  the  state  of  his  health  to  the 
government,  in  order  that  his  majesty  might  determine 
on  calling  him  to  some  other  employment  or  allow  him 
to  retire,  with  the  pension  to  which  he  was  entitled.  In 
consequence  of  this  communication,  Estevan  Gayarre  left 
the  colony  in  the  beginning  of  1771,  carrying  away  with 
him  more  than  one  document,*  showing  conclusively  the 
good  understanding  which  had  always  existed  between 
Aubry  and  the  Spanish  authorities,  during  all  the  phases 
of  the  revolution  of  1768,  and  a  certificate  in  which  the 
French  governor  testified,  in  warm  terms  of  acknowledg- 
ment and  eulogy,  to  the  important  services  rendered  by 
the  comptroller  both  to  the  kings  of  France  and  Spain- 
He  was  succeeded  in  office  by  Antonio  Joseph  de  Aguiar ; 


*  See  the  Appendix. 


i 


raoiot 
le  ha 
lonra 
'able 
'inna' 
il  del 


UUZAGA's  ADMUflSTBATION. 


43 


his  son,  Don  Juan  Antonio  Gayarre,  who  had,  under  him, 
acted  as  chief  officer  in  the  comptroller's  office  (1"  offi- 
cial ue  contadoria),  and  who  on  the  23d  of  September, 
1768,  notwithstanding  he  was  then  only  sixteen  years  of 
afjC,  had  been,  on  the  eve  of  the  insurrection,  appointed 
commissary  of  war  by  the  intendant  Joseph  de  Loyola^ 
in  which  office  he  was  subsequently  confirmed  by  O'Reilly 
on  the  5th  of  January,  lYTO,  remained  in  the  colony  to 
serve  under  Agu'iar.  The  old  contador  and  companion 
of  Ulloa  died  in  Spain  at  the  close  of  the  century.  To 
complete  the  sketch  which  I  gave  of  his  life  and  charac- 
ter, when  depicting  that  of  the  other  actors  who  appeared 
on  the  stage  at  that  eventful  period  of  the  history  of 
Louisiana,  and  also  to  illustrate  the  manners  and  feelings 
of  another  age,  it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  give  here 
a  short  c^  *-j  from  a  letter  which,  in  1796,  he  wrote 
from  Cor  ui  Gallioia,  to  one  of  his  grandsons  in  Loui- 
siana : 

"  My  son,  I  may  say  that  I  have  already  one  foot  in 
the  grave.  I  have  little  of  earthly  goods  to  bequeathe,  or 
to  dispose  of,  contenting  myself  with  leaving,  at  my  death, 
what  wiU  be  necestoy  to  bury  me  in  seven  feet  of 'ground, 
with  the  little  but  honorable  exhibition  of  military  pomp, 
within  whieh  have  shrunk  all  my  vain  hopes  in  this  mise- 
rable world.  Yea,  such  is  this  world  I  Its  ffitting  glories 
fade  away — and  there  remtuns  nothing  but  the  alternate 
lassitude  and  self-torment  of  thought.  Therefore  a  pure 
and  sound  mind  ought  ever  to  have  its  eyes  fixed  on 
heaven."* 


*  H^o  mio,  yo  est9y  yi  eon  el  pie  en  la  sepultnrs  y  tengo  no  efeotos  de  ooiiside- 
raoion  de  qce  testar  ni  disponer,  oontentandome  yd  con  que,  i  mi  fallecimiento 
le  halle  lo  neoesario  para  enterramle  en  siete  quarlas  de  tierra  oon  la  oorla  y 
■lonrada  pompa  militar  con  que  boIo  lie  fundado  la  eaperai^sa  yana  de  eate  mise- 
■able  mundo.  Lo  que  es  el  mundo  1  Cesen  glorias  pasadaa— Del  peoaapiiento 
inaa  veces  fatiga  y  otraa  tonnento ;  el  spiritu  bneno  siempre  h&  de  eatar  minluido 
il  cielo. 


.# 


mm 


;^^ 


44 


COMSIEBOE  OF  THE  COLOmT. 


'.jF?*i-^r 


Don  Luis  de  Unzaga,  wliom  O'Reilly  Ijiad  designated 
as  his  successor,  was  colonel  of  the  regiment  of  Havana, 
and  waf.  subsequently  confirmed  as  governor  of  Louisiana, 
by  a  royal  schedule  of  the  17th  of  August,  1112^\  with  a 
salary  of  $6000.  When  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
his  offiije,  he  found  that  the  commerce  of  Louisiana  had 
greatly  decreased  under  the  ill-advised  policy  of  Spanish 
rescric:ions ;  for,  it  will  be  recollected  that,  by  the  royal 
ordinaice  which  UUoa  had  caused  Aubry  to  publish  in 
1766,  the  trade  of  the  colony  had  been  confined  to  Seville, 
Alicant,  Carthagera,  Malaga,  Barcelona,  and  Coruna,  and 
that  no  vessels  were  to  engage  in  this  trade,  restricted  as 
it  was,  but  those  that  were  Spanish  built  and  commanded 
by  Spaniards.  Even  these  vessels,  when  sailing  to  or 
from  Louisiana,  were  prohibited  from  entering  any 
Spanish  port  in  America,  except  in  case  of  distress,  and 
then  they  had  to  be  submitted  to  a  strict  examination 
find  to  heavy  charges.  It  is  true  that,  i'  '  768,  an  exemp- 
tion from  duty  had  been  granted  by  the  king  to  the 
conmierce  of  Louisiana  on  foreign  and  Spanish  goods, 
either  when  exported  from  the  six  poiis  already  men- 
tioned, or  when  imported  into  New  Orleans;  but  the 
exportation  of  specie  or  produce  from  Louisiana  was 
burdened  with  a  duty  of  four  per  cent.  The  colonists 
had  lately  obtained  a  very  slight  and  insufficient  mitiga- 
tion of  the  evils  of  which  they  complained,  and  it  con- 
sisted in  a  permission  granted  for  the  admission  of  two 
vessels  from  France  annually.  >  ,    j 

This  oppressive  system  was  exceedingly  foolish,  as  it 
could  benefit  neither  the  colony  nor  the  mother  country. 
Which  of  the  goods  they  most  wanted  for  their 
consumption  could  the  colonists  have  procured  to  ad- 
vantage, in  Seville,  Alicant,  Oarthagena,  Malaga,  Bar- 
celona and  Coruna,  the  only  ports  they  could  trade  to? 
And  if  procured,  how  could  they  have  paid  for  them? 


■:fe.!( 


PF 


OOMMSBCE   OF  THE  OOLOITT. 


0 

45 


Importations  are  paid  witli  exportations ;  and  what  could 
they  have  successfully  exported  to  those  ports,  that  would 
have  defrayed  the  costs  of  transportation  ?  Was  it  their 
indigo?  But  it  could  not  have  encountered  the  com- 
petition of  the  indigo  of  Gnatimala,  Caraccas  and  other 
Spanish  possessions,  to  which  it  was  greatly  inferior  m 
quality.  Was  \t  their  fiirs  and  peltries  ?  But  these 
objects  were  little  car«^d  for  in  the  warm  climate  of 
Spain.  Was  it  their  rice  and  com  ?  But  this  they 
raised  in  too  small  a  qufa,iitity,  and  wanted  altogether  for 
their  own  home  consumption.  Was  it  their  timber  and 
lumber,  which  was  their  most  important  branch  of 
revenue  ?  But  what  cargo  of  the  kind  would  have  sold 
sufficiently  high  in  Spain,  to  cover  the  bare  expenses  of 
transportation  across  the  Atlantic  ?  Moreover,  setting ' 
all  these  considerations  aside,  how  could  the  merchants 
of  New  Orleans  compete  with  the  English,  who  had 
engrossed  the  contraband  trade  of  the  colony,  through 
the  facilities  afforded  them  by  the  privilege  of  navigating 
the  Mississippi  ?  Their  vessels  were  constantly  plough- 
ing the  r^er  up  and  down ;  and,  under  the  pretence  of 
going  to  their  possessions  of  Manchac,  Baton  Rouge  and 
Natcheis,  the  English  contrived  clandestinely  to  supply 
the  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans  and  the  planters  above 
and  beio  .t  that  town  with  goods  arid  slaves.  They  took 
in  exchange  whatever  their  customers  had  to  spare,* 
and  extended  to  them  a  most  liberal  credit,  which  the 
good  faith  of  the  purchasers  amply  justified.  Besides, 
they  had  very  large  warehouses  at  Manchac,  Baton 
Rouge  and  Natchez,  and  a  number  of  vessels  constantly 
moored  a  short  distance  above  New  Orleans,  opposite  to 
the  spot  now  known  as  the  city  of  Lafayette.  To  these 
places  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  used  to  resort,  and  to 


■m- 


*  Martin's  Hktory  of  Louisiana,  p^  26,  toL  S. 


*■ 


it; 


* 


Bm\ 


M' 


^^ 


% 


46 


■:% 


OOMMEBOE  OF  THE  COLONY. 


csny  on  ^eir  contraband  dealings^  whiek  were  hardly, 
if  in  any  way,  checked  by  the  Spanish  authorities. 
Encouraged  by  this  tacit  connivance,  the  English  had 
gone  farther,  and  had  contrived  to  convert  into  floating 
warehouses  two  vessels,  the  cabins  of  which  they  fitted 
up  as  stores,  with  shelves  and  counters.  These  ingeni- 
ously devised  shops  were  kept  moving  up  and  down  the 
river,  stopping,  like  our  present  line  of  coast  steamboats, 
at  every  man's  door,  and  tempting  him  and  hia  family 
with  the  display  of  their  goods  and  trinkets.  Thus,  in 
this  indirect  way,  the  English  having  monopolized  the 
trade  of  Louisiana,  this  colony  had,  in  a  commercial 
point  of  view,  become  for  its  owner  an  entirely  worthless 
possession. 

Without  this  infraction  of  the  unwise  provisions  of  the 
commercial  and  revenue  laws  of  Spain,  it  is  difficult  to 
iraa^ne  how  the  colony  could  have  subsisted,  and, 
therefore,  Unzaga  acted  judiciously  for  the  province 
and  for  Spain,  when  he  disregarded  the  Chinese-like 
regulations  which  he  was  commanded  to  enforce, 
and  when  he  winked  at  their  violation.  The  poor 
merchants  of  New  Orleans,  whose  occupation,  like 
Othello's,  was  gone,  were  permitted  to  indulge  in  im 
potent  clamors,  and  in  slyly  whispered  insinuations  that 
the  Spanish  governor  had  some  reason  of  his  own, 
besides  the  alleged  one  of  supplying  the  wants  of  the 

^colony,  for  the  indulgence  which  he  extended  to  British 

traders.    But  tljieir  complaints  were  as  unnoticed  as  the 

idle  wind,  and  things  went  on  as  usual,  without  even 

any  show  of  attempted  interruption. 

This  year  (1771)  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi  informed 

'Unssaga^  that  h^  majesty  had  consented  to  what,  he, 
Unzaga,  had  ap^Hed  for,  that  is,  that  eleven  capuchins 
from  the  province  of  Ohantpagne  in  France  be  permitted 
to  come  to  Louisiana^  and  had  gi*anted  the  prayer  of  the 


f 


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''Ml 


DI^ASTBOVS  HTJBBICAliX. 


47 


Ursidine  Nuns — that  a  church  be  built  as  an  appendage 
to  their  convent    ■;:■,;;«.;;;,.;■/  ..,..  v:v-^^^l 

lu  the  beginning  o£  1112,  Colonel  i^techeria  arrived, 
and  assumed  the  command  of  the  regiment  of  Jjouisiana. 
There  came  also  from  Spain,  at  the  king^s  expense,  a 
priest  with  two  assistants,  ho  were  sent  to  instruct  the 
rising  generation  in  the  Spanish  language,  and  from  Har 
vana,  four  young  women,  ^ho  took  the  veil  in  the  con- 
vent of  the  Ursuline  Nuns  of  New  Orleans^  and  who  were 
destined  to  teach  SpanipL  to  yoiing  persons  of  their  sex. 

The  winter  of  IT*  2  was  made  remarkable  for  its  ex- 
treme severity,  an^jl, all  the,  orange  tre^  perfehed,  as  in 
immdlios^,/.::; 

If  the  winter  had  been  Siberian-like,  the  summer 
which  followed  phowe'^  ^-""^l^  tropical  in  all  its  character,? 
and  the  country  was  vLiited  by  a  hurricane,  which  was 
much  more  furious  and  destructive  than  all  those  which 
had  yet  been  seen,  and  which,  beginning  on  the  31st  of 
August,  lasted  to  the  3d  of  September.  Strange  to 
say,  however,  it  was  hardly  perceptible  in  New  Orleans, 
where  the  weather  retained  its  serenity,  i^though  it  was 
severely  felt  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  that 
town.  The  sea  was  driven  over  the  islands  along  the 
coast  of  the  gulf,  and  m^ed  in  mountainous  waves,  not 
through,  but,  as  it  were,  over  the  passes  of  the  Rigolets 
and  Chef-Menteur,  to  meet  Lake  Pontehartrain,  widch^ 
rose  to  a  prodigious  height.  As  the  wi^i  blew  from 
the  sea,  all  the  vessels  at  the  Bali^  withthe  exception 
of  one  .that  foundered,  and  was  lost  with  all  on  board, 
were  lifted  up  like  feathers  by  the  joint  frqry  of  the  war- 
ring el^nent^,  and  blown  over  into  the  mi^st  of  those 
swamps  of  reeds  which  line  the  mpuths  of  the  Mississippi. 
Along  tib  sea-coast,  from  I^ake  Boigne^  to  P^nsacola,  the 
wind  ranged  from  SouthrSouth-East;  but  farther  west,  it 
blew  with  still  neater  violence  fi^om  North-IjForth'East  and 


F 


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W'-»:<i-.     M 


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4A 


DISASTROUS   HUBRICANE. 


East.  Judge  Martin  relates,  in  his  History  of  Louisiana, 
that  a  schooner,  belonging  to  the  British  government,  and 
having  a  detachment  of  troops  on  board,  was  driven 
westerly  as  far  as  Cat  Island,  under  the  western  part  of 
whicn  she  cast  anv,hor ;  but  the  water  rose  so  high,  that 
she  parted  her  cable,  and  floated  over  the  island.  The 
wind  swept  with  such  irresistible  power  through  the 
woods,  that  they  were  almost  entirely  destroyed  within 
a  radius  of  about  thirty  mUes  from  the  searshore.  At 
Mobile,  the  strong  hand  of  the  hurricane  seized  .the 
vessels,  boats,  logs  and  every  thing  else  that  were  in  the 
bay,  and  scattered  them  about  the  streets  of  that  town, 
just  as  a  boy,  in  a  mad  freak,  flings  round  his  playthings. 
There  was  such  an  accumulation  of  logs  in  the  gullies 
and  hollows  about  the  town  and  in  its  lower  grounds, 
that  it  supplied  the  inhabitants  with  fuel  during  the 
whole  of  the  ensuing  winter. 

The  foaming  sea  seemed  to  have  been  lashed  into 
nothing  but  spray,  which,  rising  up  to  an  immense 
height,  was  carried  inland  by  the  wind  to  the  distance 
of  four  or  five  miles  from  the  shore,  where  it  descended 
in  thick  showers.  For  thirty  miles  up  a  branch  of  the 
Pascagoula  river,  called  Cedar  Creek  on  account  of  the 
number  of  cedar  trees  with  which  its  banks  were  shaded, 
the  tempest  prostrated  almost  every  tree,  as  if  myriads 
of  axes  had  been  emulously  at  work  with  destructive 
rage.  Some  had  been  torn  by  the  roots  and  fantasti- 
cally tossed  about,  others  were  broken  into  splinters, 
and,  among  the  few  that  remained  standing,  some  were 
stripped  of  every  limb,  or  twisted  together,  trimks  and 
branches,  into  a  shapele^  mass.  The  awful  scene  of 
desolation  looked  lite  'U»^  work  of  a  million  of  in- 
toxicated'demons,  p!  jjie  of  the  most  astonishing 
effects  of  this  hurricane  remains  to  be  related.  Within 
four  weeks  after  it  had  been  over,  such  of  the  mulberry 


i  ""* 


-Jii^'  • 


^   # 


fv^ 


^^^ 


^' 


BKLIOIOUS  QUARBEL9. 


40 


ti'eea  as  had  escaped  its  fary,  produced  a  second  gro\rth 
of  leaves  and  fruit.  They  budded  anew,  blossomed, 
and,  to  complete  the  phenomenon,  produced  fruit  as 
plentifully  as  they  had  done  before. 

On  the  lYth  of  August,  lt'72,  the  King  granted  to  the 
province  of  Louisiana,  some  extension  of  commerce,  in 
conformity  with  the  suggestions  made  by  O'Reilly  in 
his  despatch  of  the  iTth  of  October,  1769,  but  the 
favor,  ^er  all^  was  so  restricted,  that  it  did  not  prove 
of  much  importanco  to  the  welfare  of  the  colony. 

The  conflict  which  had  sprung*  up  between  the  Jesuits 
and  Capuchins,  in  1755,  as  to  the  exercise  of  spirilHal 
jurisdiction  in  Louisiana,  may  not  have  be4| forgotten. 
The  Bishop  of  Quebec  had  appointed  a  Jesidt  hib  Vicar- 
General  in  New  Orleans,  but  the  Capuchins  pretended 
that  they  had,  according  to  a  contract  passed'  with  the 
India  company,  obtained  exclusdve  jurisdiction  in  Lower 
Louisiana,  and  therefore  had  opposed  therein  the  exer- 
cise <d  any  pastoral  ftmctions  by  the  Jesuits.  The 
question  remi^ned  undecidsd  by  the  Superior  Counijil, 
which  felt  consid^rabk  ^I'elnctance  to  settle  the  contro- 
versy by  some  final  action,  from  fear  perhaps  of  turning 
against  itself  the  hostility  of  both  parties,  although  it 
leaned  in  favor  of  the  Capuchins.  IVom  sheer  lassitude 
there  had  ensued  a  sort  of  tacit  truce,  when  father 
Hilp-ire  de  Geneveaux,  the  Superior  of  the  Capuchins, 
who,  for  one  of  a  religious  order  proverbially  famed  for,^ 
its  ignorance,  was  a  man  of  no  mean  scholarship  and  6f 
singular  activity,  quickejErad  by  a  hanghty  and  ambi- 
tious temper,  went  to  visit  Europe,  without  intimating 
what  he  was  about,  and  returned  trith  th^  title  of 
Apodtolicl*rothonotary,  under  whiah  he  blaimed,  it  seems, 
the  power  to  lordHt  over  tlfe  Jesuit  who  was  the  Vicar- 
Gtei^ral  of'the  Bishop  of  Queb^    IJeiice  afi,  iaerease  of 

wrathon  the  part  ^.  the  Jesmtaand  a  ir^new^l  of  th$ 

4 


# 


M 


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mm: 


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«o 


FATHER  DA60BEBT. 


old  quarrel,  which  ceased  only  when  the  Jesuits  were 
expelled  from  all  the  French  dominions,  Bat  the 
tnumph  of  father  Geneveaux  was  not  of  long  duration ; 
for,  in  1766,  the  Superior  Council,  finding  that  he  was 
opposed  to  their  scheme  of  insurrection,  had  expelled 
him  as  a  perturber  of  the  public?  peace,  and  fathe'  Da- 
gobert  had  become  Superior  of  the  Capuchins.  They 
lived  all  together  in  a  very  fine  house  of  their  own, 
and  there  nevei  had  been  a  more  harmonious  com- 
munity than  this  one  was,  under  the  rule  of  good  father 
Dagobert. 

•He  had  come  very  young  in  the  colony,  where  he  had 
christene^^tnd  married  almost  everybody,  so  that  he  was 
looked  upon  as  a  sort  of  spiritual  father  and  tutor  to  all. 
He  was  emphatically  a  man  of  peace,  and  if  there  was 
anything  which  father  Dagobert  hated  in  this  world,  if 
he  could  hate  at  all,  it  was  trouble — ^trouble  of  any  kind 
— but  particularly  of  that  sort  which  arises  from  inter- 
mc<^ldling  and  contradiction.  How  could,  indeed,  father 
Dagobert  not  be  popular  with  old  and  -young,  with  both 
sexes,  and  with  every  class  ?  Who  could  have  complained 
of  one  whose  breast  harbored  no  ill  feeling  towards  any- 
body, and  whose  Kps  never  uttered  a  harsh  word  in 
reprimand  or  blame,  of  one  who  was  satisfied  with  him- 
self and  the  rest  of  mankind,  provided  he  was  allowed  to 
look  on  with  his  arms  folded,  leaving  angels  and  devils 
to  follow  the  bent  of  their  nature  in  their  respective 
departments  ?  Did  not  his  ghostly  subordinates  do 
pretty  mi»cb  as  they  pleased?  And  if  they  erred  at 
timeo— why — «ven  holy  meil  were  known  to  be  frail ! 
And  why  should  not  their  peccadilloes  be  overlooked  or 
forgiven  for  the  sake  of  the  good  they  did?  It  "^ra.« 
much  better  (we  may  fairly  suppose  him  so  to  have 
thought,  from  t^e  knowledge  we  have  of  his  acts  and 
character),  for  heaven  and  for  the  world,  to  let  things 

:-iif-  _.  J 

^  .^#'  'ail  ^^^* 


# 


% 


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V* 


OHABACTEB  OF  FATBEB  BAOOBEBT. 


6! 


rtin  smooth  and  easy,  than  to  make  any  noise.  Was 
there  not  enr>ugh  of  miavoidable  tnrmoil  in  this  valley 
of  tribulations  and  miseries  ?  Besides,  he  knew  that  God 
was  mercifiil,  and  that  all  would  turn  right  in  the  end. 
Why  should  he  not  have  been  an  indulgent  shepherd  for 
his  flock,  and  have  snuled  on  the  prodigal  son  oiter  re- 
pentance, and  even  before,  in  order  not  to  frighten  him 
away  ?  If  the  extravagance  of  the  sinning  spendthrift 
could  not  be  checked,  why  should  not  he,  father  Dago- 
bert,  be  permitted,  by  sitting  at  the  hospitable  board,  to 
give  at  least  some  dignity  to  th'^  feast,  and  to  exorcise 
away  the  ever  lurking  spirit  of  evil  ?  Did  not  Jesus  sit 
at  meal  with  publicans  and  sinners  ?  Why  then  should 
not  father  Dagobert,  when  he  went  out  to  christen,  or  to 
many  at  some  private  dwelling,  participate  in  conviviali- 
ties, taste  the  juice  of  the  grape,  take  a  hand  in  some 
innocent  game,  regale  his  nostrils  with  a  luxurious  pinch 
of  snuff,  and  look  with  approbation  at  the  meny  feats  of 
the  dancers  ?  Where  was  the  harm  ?  Could  not  a  father 
sanctify  by  his  presence  the  rejoicings  of  his  children  ? 
Such  were  perhaps  some  of  the  secret  reasonings  of  the 
reverend  capuchin. 

By  some  pedantic  minds  £ither  Dagobert  might  have  , 
been  taxed  with  being  illiterate,  and  with  knowing  very 
little'  beyond  the  l\tanies  of  the  church.  But  is  not 
ignorance  bliss  ?  Was  it  not  to  the  want  of  knowledge, 
that  was  to  be  attributed  the  simplicity  of  heait,  whic^ 
was  so  edifying  in  one  of  his  sacred  mission,  and  that 
humility  to  which  he  was  sworn?  Is  it  not  written:: 
"Biessed'are  the  poor  in  spirit;  for  theirs  is  the  king- 
doni  of  heaven.'^  Why  should  he  understand  Latin,  or 
so  many  other  musty  inexplicable  things  I  Was  not  i^e 
fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  the  cause  of  the  perdition 
of  mau  h  Besides,  who  ev#r  heard  of  a  learned  capuchin  ? 
Would  it  not  have  been  a  portentous  anonukly  ?    If  kiH 


*■ 


1 


Wf 


■-i\ 


•^ii«^'M 


■^» 


# 


'V. 


M 

!*<► 


n^ 


OHARACTEK  OF  FATHER  DAOODERT. 


5  Nil''- 


way  of  fasting,  of  keeping  the  holydays,  of  saying  miiss, 
of  celebrating  marriages,  of  christening,  of  singing 
prayers  for  the  dead,  and  of  hearing  confessions,  of  it)- 
flicting  penance,  and  of  performing  all  his  other  sacerdo- 
tal  functions,  was  contrary  to  the  ritual  and  to  the  canons 
of  the  church — ^why — he  knew  ho  better.  What  soul 
had  been  thereby  endangered  ?  His  parishioners  were 
used  to  his  ways  ?  Was  he,  after  fifty  years  of  labor  in 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  to  change  his  manner  of  work- 
ing, to  admit  that  he  had  blundered  all  the  time,  to  dig 
up  what  he  had  planted,  and  to  undertake,  when  almost 
an  octogenarian,  the  reform  of  himself  and  others  ?  Thus, 
at  least,  argued  many  of  his  friends. 

They  were  sure  that  none  could  deny,  that  all  the 
duties  of  religion  were  strictly  performed  by  his  parish- 
ioners. Were  not  the  women  iii  the  daily  habit  of 
confessing  their  sins  2  And  if  he  was  so  very  mild  in  his 
admonitions,  and  so  very  sparing  in  the  infliction  of  harsh 
penance  on  them,  why  not  suppose  that  jt  was  because 
the  Saviour  himself  had  been  very  lenient  towards  the^ 
guiltiest  of  their  sex  ?  It  was  the  belief  of  father  Dago 
bert,  that  the  faults  of  women  proceeded  from  the  heai'i 
and  not  from  the  heart,  because  thxii  was  always  kind. 
Why  th«i  hurl  thunderbolts  at  beings  so  exquisitely 
delicate  and  so  beautifully  fragile-7-the  porcelain  work 
of  the  creators—when  they  could  be  reclaimed  by  the 
re  scratch  of  a  rose's  thorn,  and  4>rought  bkck  into  the 
om  of  righteousness  by  the  mere  pulling  of  a  silken 
string  2  As  to  the  meh,  it  is  true  that  tibey  never  hatmted 
thexionfiissicmal ;  but  perhaps  they  had  no  sins  to  confess, 
and  if  they  had,  and  <^d  not  choose  to  acknowledge  them, 
what  could  he  do  ?'  Would  it  have  been  sound  policy 
to  hiave  annoyed  them  with  fruitkss  exhortations,  and 
threat^ied  #[em  with  ^xconunimication,  when  they 
would  hai!V!<B/laiighed  at  thebnthmi^fulmenf  Wa&  it  not 


^^ 


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^'il 


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bet 

out 

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Whei 


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CHABAOTER  OF   FATHER  DAOOBERT. 


5A! 


better  to  humour  them  a  little,  so  iis  to  make  good  gro# 
out  of  evU  ?  Was  not  their  averuion  to  confesaiou  re- 
deemed by  manly  virtues,  by  their  charity  to  the  jjoor 
and  their  generosity  to  the  church )  Was  not  his  course 
i>f  action  subservient  to  the  inten^t  both  of  ohnrch  and 
sitate,  within  the  borders  of  which  it  was  oalcnlated  to 
maintain  order  and  tranquillity,  by  avoiding  to  produce 
discontents,  and  those  disturbances  which  are  their  natu*' 
ral  results  ?  Had  he  not  a  right,  in  his  turn,  to  expect  that 
his  repose  should  never  be  interrupted,  when  he  i  as  so 
sedulously  attentive  to  that  of  others,  and  so  cheerftilly 
complying  with  the  exigencies  of  every  flitting  hour? 
When  the  colonists  had  thought  proper  to  go  int^.  an 
insurrection,  he,  good  easy  soul,  did  not  see  why  he  should 
not  make  them  happy,  by  chiming  in  with  their  mood 
at  the  time.  Did  they  not,  in  all  sincerity,  think  them- 
selves oppressed,  and  were  they  not  contending  for  what 
they  believed  to  be  their  birthrights  ?  On  the  other 
hand,  when  the  Spaniards  crushed  the  revolution,  he  was 
nothing  loth,  as  vicar  general,  to  present  himself  at  the 
portal  of  the  cathedral,  to  receive  O'Reilly  with  the 
honors  due  to  the  representative  of  royalty,  and  to  bless 
the  Spanish  flag.  How  could  he  do  otherwise  ?  Was  it 
not  said  ,by  the  Master :  "  render  unto  Csesar  the  things 
which  are  Caesar's  ? "  Why  should  the  new  lord^  of  the 
land  be  irritated  by  a  factious  and  bootless  op^;  don  9 
Why  not  mollify  them,  so  as  to  obtain  as  much  fi'om 
them  as  possible,  in  favor  of  his  church  and  of  his  dearly 
beloved  flock?  AVhy  should  he  not  be  {:artial  to  the 
Spaniards?  Had  they  not  the  reputation  of  being  the 
strictest  catholics  in  the  woi'ld. 

Such  was  the  character  of  ^therDagobert  even  in 
his  youth*  It  had  developed  itself  in  more  vigorous 
and  coHor&ate  proportions^  as  his  es^rienee  est^ded^ 
and  it  had  sugg^ted  to  him  all  Ids  rules  of  action 


It- 


m 


)w^} 


'# 


«t  ■ 


54 


■i. 


CHARACTER  OF  FATHER  GENOVEAUX. 


lilroiigli  life.  With  the  same  harmonious  consistency  in 
all  its  parts  it  had  continued  to  grow,  until  more  than 
threescore  years  had  passed  over  fathfer  Dagobert's  head. 
It  was  natural,  therefore,  notwithstanding  what  a  few 
detractors  might  say,  that  he  should  be  at  a  loss  to  dis- 
cover the  reasons  why  he  should  be  blamed,  for  having 
logically  come  to  the  conclusions  which  made  him  an 
almost  universal  favorite,  and  which  permitted  him  to 
enjoy  "  his  ease  in  his  own  inn,"  whilst  authorizing  him 
to  hope  for  his  continuing  in  this  happy  state  of  exist- 
ence, until  he  should  be  summoned  to  the  "bourne 
whence  no  traveller  returns."  Certain  it  is  that,  what- 
ever judgment  a  rigid  moralist  might,  on  a  close  analysis, 
pass  on  the  character  of  father  Dagobert,  it  can  hardly 
be  denied,  that  to  much  favor  would  be  entitled  the 
man,  who,  were  he  put  to  trial,  could  with  confidence, 
like  this  poor  priest-,  turn  round  to  his  subordinates  and 
fellow-beings,  and  say  unto  them :  "  I  have  lived  among 
you  for  better  than  half  a  century ;  which  of  you  have  I 
ever  injured?"  Therefore,  father  Dagobert  thought 
himself  possessed  of  an  unquestionable  right  to  what  he 
loved  so  much :  his  ease,  both  in  his  convent  and  out  of 
it,  and  his  sweet  uninterrupted  dozing  in  his  comfortable 
arm  chair. 

But  the  Evil  One  was  hovering  round  the  walls  of 
Eden,  and  desolation  was  nigh.    A  short  time  afber  the 

^province  had  become  Spanish,  and  the  Superior  Council 
f  had  been  abolished,  father  Genoveaux  startled  father 

^  'Dagobert  by  his  sudden  reappearance  before  him.  At 
first,  the  humble  spirit  of  the  old  Capuchin  quailed,  and 
his  heart  sank  within  him,  when  he  saw  one,  whose 
resources  of  mind,  love  of  power,  and  indomitable  pride 
he  but  too  weU  knew.  But  it  seemed  that  misfortutle 
had  operated  a  salutary  change  in  father  Genoveaux, 
uid  the  outward  man  much  belied  the  inward  one,-  if 


.€>,:. 


t 


'Wi 


# 


3 


OHAItAOTEB  OF  FATHEB  GDKOVE^UX 


5^ 


thai  also  was  not  altered,  for  he  looked  like  one  ready 
to  kiss  the  rod  of  chastisement.  His  head  was  bent  as  it 
were  with  contrition,  his  eyes  were  lowly  fLsed  on  the 
gronnd,  his  hands  were  m^kly  crossed  jon  his  breast. 
In  this  posture  of  humiliation,  he  informed  fath^  Bago- 
bert  that  he  had  returned  to  serve  where  he  had 
foimerly  ruled,  and  he  begged  for  admittance,  as  an 
humble  subordinate,  into  the  holy  house  from  which  he 
had'  been  ignominiously  expelled  as  a  superior.  With  a 
rather  faltering  voice,  father  Dagobert  uttered  some 
words  of  welcome  to  his  unexpected  guest,  and  expressed 
assent  to  his  prayer.  Keen,  no  doubt,  were  his  mis- 
givings, but  they  were  soon  allayed  by  the  conduct  of 
father  G6noveaux,  who  not  only  gave  the  example  of 
submission,  but  who  also  was  the  very  pattern  of  apos- 
tolic  humility.  He  seemed  to  have  lost  sight  entirely 
of  the  concerns  of  this  world,  and,  when  not  engaged  in 
the  few  ecclesiastical  ftmctions  which  were  assigned  to 
him,  and  which  he  discharged  with  the  most  exact 
fidelity,  he  was  wrapped  up  in  prayer  or  in  study- — 
particularly  the  study  of  the  Bpanish  language — so  far 
at  least,  as  what  father  Genoveaux  did  could  be  ascem; 
tained,  for  he  came  out  of  his  cell  as  little  as  he  could  ; 
and,  by  keeping  so  much  out  of  every  body's  way,  he, 
by  degrees,  almost  ceased  to  be  considered  as  a  thing  of 
life ;  or  if  so,  certainly  there  could  not  be  a  more  harm- 
less sort  of  creature,  or  a  more  insignificant  entity  in 
flesh  and  blood. 

These  were  halcyon  days,  indeed,  the  enjoying  of 
which  was  only  marred  by  the  news,  that  Spanish  Capii- 
chins  were  soon  eicpected.  How  they  would  agree  with 
their  French  brethren,  was  a  questicm  which  excited  uq 
little  anidety  in  t^e  breasts  of  the  latter,  when,  in  the 
beginning  of  July,  1Y72^,  it  was  positively  known  that 
father  Oirilo  was  coming  with  some  few  assistants,  in  the 


# 


J^F  iS^'  ^ 


B.-'V 


m 


'^ 


* 


56 


AERIVAL  OF  SPANISH  CA.Pm3HINB. 


name  of  the  bishop  of  Ctiba,  Don  Santiago  Hechevama, 
to  investigate  into  the  affairs  of  the  church  ap.d  the  state 
of  religion  in  the  colony ;  and,  on  the  19th  of  the  same 
month,  which  was  consecrated  to  the  celebratiuu  of  a 
holyday,  father  Dagobert,  at  the  head  of  his  Capuchins, 
and  accompanied  by  a  large  crowd  of  people,  went  in 
procession  to  the  Levee  in  front  of  the  public  square, 
wh^re  father,  Cirilo  and  his  companions  were  received 
mth  due  honors  and  with  great  demonstrations  of  joy. 
The  next  day,  the  Spanish  priests  were  presented  to  the 
Governor,  to  whom  father  Cirilo  delivered  his  cre- 
vtentials,  and  the  letters  addressed  by  the  bkhop  tx)  that 
ftinctionary.  Governor  Unzaga  expressed  still  warmer 
satisfaction  than  the  people  at  the  arrival  of  these 
ministei's  of  peace  and  instructors  in  morals  and 
religion,  and  declared  publicly  to  father  Cirilo,  that  he 
was  ready  to  make  use  of  all  the  powers  with  which  he 
was  clothed,  to  carry  into  execution  the  sacred  instruc- 
tions and  mandates  of  his  Grace,  the  bishop  of  Cuba. 

On  the  very  day  of  the  anival  of  the  Spanish  priests 
in  the  colony,  father  Genoveaux  doffed  the  garb  ot 
humility  and  submission  whicb  he  had  assumed,  and 
proudly  raising  his  head,  told  father  Dagobert,  in  an 
insulting  tone  and  very  abusive  language,  that  a  radical 
change  would  soon  take  place,  that  ignorance,  profane- 
ness,  wickedness  and  dotage  would  speedily  be  driven 
tout  of  the  convent  and  of  the  country,  to  yield  their 
Usurped  power  to  virtue,  learning,  religion,  active  2eal 
and  pious  labor.  He  ftutber  added,' that  the  avengers 
of  his  wrongs  had  come  at  last,  and  that  now  was  the 
turn  of  his  enemies  to  tremble.  In  order  to  carry  his 
threats  into  execution,  he  immediately  ingratiated  him- 
self with  the  Spanish  priests,  and)  being  much  their 
superior  in  intelligence  and  energy,  he  became  their 
secret  adviser  and  the  prompter  of  all  the  manoeuvre 


% 


# 


stancd 


# 


FATHER  CIRILO'S   DS3PAT0HE3 


57 


dnd  attacks  from  wlu<ili  the  French  Capuchins  had.  to 
suflfer. 

Having  landed  on  the  19th  of  July  at  New  Orleans, 
father  Oirilo  lost  no  time  in  prying  into  the  Iiord's 
vineyard,  and,  on  the  6th  of  August,  communicated  to 
his  diocesan  at  Havana  the  result  of  his  ohservations, 
of  which  I  give  here  a  condensed  abstract :  "The  people 
of  this  province,"  said  he,  "are  in  general  religiously 
disposed,  and  seem  anxious  for  the  salvation  of  their 
souls.  They  observe  a  profound  silence  during  divine 
worship,  and,  when  the  Most  Holy  Ghost  is  brought  out 
(which  is  on  the  principal  holydays),  both  sexes  prostrate 
themselves  on  the  ground.  With  regard  to  the  women, 
they  are  more  honest  than  in  Spain,  and  live  more  in 
accordance  with  the  precepts  of  the  church.  There  are 
some  small  things  in  the  morals  and  in  the  religious 
observances  of  these  people,  which  might  be  better,  but 
time  will  remedy  these  trifling  evUs.  As  to  the  clergy, 
that  is,  the  French  Capuchins,  I  agree  with  his  Excel- 
lency, the  Governor,  whose  despatch  to  your  grace  I 
have  seen,  in  saying  that  father  Dagobert,  having  had 
the  spiritual  government  of  this  province  for  so  long  a 
time,  deserves  every  sort  of  regard  and  considferatipn, 
and  that,  on  account  of  his  age  and  services,  he  is  en- 
titled to  enjoy  the  most  favorable  treatment,  and  to  be 
permitted  to  be  relieved  from  his  official  fatigues..  But 
I  cannot  allow  to  pass  unnoticed  what  I  have  Temarked,:, 
in  the  deportment  of  those  *  *  #  ♦  *  m  hovir 
shall  I  designate  them  ?  for,  certainly,/ 1  cannot  call 
Capuchins  those  whom  I  consider  as  unworthy  of  this 
hcdw'  name.  In  a  true  Capuchin,  according  to  the  rules 
ai|&  discipline  established  by  St.  Fraaicis,  there  is  naught 
to  be  seen  but  austerity  and  poverty.  Bul^  su^h  is  not 
the  case  with  these  mien.  In  their  dress,  sitch,  fi>r  in- 
stance, as  their  shirts,  breeches,  stockings  and  shoes,  they 


t 


'flPt 


•m 


im 


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; 


===sBmam 


m 

m 


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.■'XJ 


68      ON  THE  CLEEGY  AISTD  XNHABITAlrrS  OP  LOUISIANA. 

resemble  tlie  laity  much  more  than  members  of  their 
religious  order.  They  say  that  they  have  a  dispensation 
from  the  Pope;  but  of  what  nature?  I  have  not  seen 
it  yet.  Whether  it  is  in  existence  or  not,  certain  it  is 
that  the  doctrine  which  we  proicss,  commands  us  to  be 
satisfied  with  the  stricteot  nee  )Si  ies  of  life  and  with 
the  extremest  poverty.  Tbei  fore  I  do  not  believe  in 
the  grant  of  any  such  dispensation  by  the  Popes,  beyond 
what  may  be  absolutely  requkite  to  keep  soul  and  body 
together.  But  it  never  could  extend  so  far  as  to  author-- 
ize  every  one  of  these  fathers,  to  have  a  watch  in  his 
fob  and  a  clock  striking  the  hour  in  his  room,  and 
another  in  their  refectory  which  cost  two  hundred  and 
seventy  dollars.  Nor  do  I  believe  that  they  have  per- 
mission from  our  Sovereign  Lords  the  Popes,  to  possess 
so  many  silver  spoons  and  forks,  that  it  is  dotibtfal 
whether  your  Grace  owns  the  hke.  Not  oidy  ha\  e  they 
silver  spoons  of  the  ordinary  size,  but  they  have  also 
small  ones,  to  take  coffee  with,  as  if  woode"*!  spoons  were 
not  good  enough  for  Capuchins  !  I  will  not  speak  of 
the  furniture  of  their  rooms,  nor  of  the  luxuries  of  their 
table.  But  be  it  sufficient  to  say,  that  alth<^ngh,  since 
our  arrival  and  on  our  account,  they  have  somewhat 
moderated  their  good  living,  their  table  is  stiU  reputed 
to  be  better  than  any  other  in  this  capital.  Hence, 
what  was  it  before  ?  Very  often  they  do  not  eat  at  the 
)mmon  refectory,  but  invite  one  another  to  dine  at 
Iheir  private  apartments. 

"This  abuse  your  grace  can  remedy,  as  well  as  that  of 
their  having,  to  wait  upon  them  at  table,  so  many  young 
mulattresses  or  negresses  who  fa*e  not  married.  I  cannot 
put  a  stop  to  this  scandal,  having  no  authority  over 
them.  But  I  infer  from  a  letter  written  to  me  by  the 
Superior  of  our  ordei  in  Oatalona,  that  there  is  somo 
probability  of  his  being  appointed  to  take  charge  of  this 


youv 


# 


m 


m 


THE  CLERGY   OF  LOUISIANA  IN   1772. 


59 


province.   With  the  strength  whichi  might  derive  from 
this  fact,  should  it  prove  to  be  true,  and  from  your 
Grace's  countenance  and  support,  I  would  endeavor  to 
make  it  known  that  we  are  capuchins,  and  to  force  those 
who  live  in  violation  of  our  sacred  rules  and  without 
caring  for  God,  either  to  reform  their  evil  ways  or  to  go 
back  whence  they  came.    But,  for  the  present,  wo  can 
make  no  innovation,  except  with  regard  to  the  pai"8onage 
of  this  parish,  because,  in  this  matter,  you  can  order  and 
dispose  as  you  please,  inasmuch  as  father  Dagobert  han 
promised  the  governor  that  he  would  obey  all  the  man- 
dates of  yom'  grace,  and  for  this  reason,  it  is  agx*ecd 
between  us  and  the  governor,  that  you  commission  fati'er 
Dagobert  as  the  vicai*  general  of  this  province,  until  w^ 
can  learn  the  French  language,  because,  without  its  know- 
ledge, it  is  impossible  that  we  should  discharge  our  func- 
tions.   But  in  case  your  Grace,  most  excellent  sir,  should 
be  of  opinion  that  said  individual  ought  not  to  be  ap- 
pointed vicar  general,  your  Grace  might,  for  the  present, 
postpone  all  nomination  to  that  oflSce,  leaving  everything 
as  it  is,  writing  to  father  Dagobert  and  to  me  what  you 
wish  to  be  done  in  this  province,  and  charging  us  with- 
the  execution  of  the  good  intentions  of  your  Grace  and 
of  his  majesty  (whom  may  God  preserve  for  ever !)   And 
in  .order  that  your  Grace,  the  governor  and  myself  may 
attain  our  ends  with  greater  facility,  and  plant  heve, 
without  noise  and  opposition,  the  Lord's  vineyard,  as  it  ^ 
is  in  Havana,  I  am  of  opinion  that  you  should  state,  when  " 
you  writey  that  you   ire  determined  to  postpone  the 
nomination  of  the  vicar  general,  until  you  have  the  report 
of  him  whom  you  may  send  to  inspect  the  affairs  of  the 
church  iu  this  province*    Thus,  father  Dagobert,  either 
through  fear,  or  to  please  your  grace,  wi31  execute  what 
youv  grace  will  command  him  to  do.    It  is  important  to 


m 


*# 


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^^m 

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« 

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60 


THE   CLERGY   OF  LOUISIANA  TO   ma. 


M 


!>ii 


secure  his  influence,  not  oiily  because  tjie  people  of  tliiis 
colony,  for  thirty  yeaw  i  past,  have  known  no  other 
spiritual  jurisdiction  than  that  of  this  father,  but  also 
because  he  has  obtained  the  esteem  and  affection  of  all, 
so  that  whatever  father  Dagobert  oiders  is  obeyed  with- 
out reluctance.    It  seems  proper  to  me  thtit  your  C^iace  - 
should  write  none  but  joint  letten^  to  us  botli,  becimae 
fatner  Dugobert  does  not  understand  the  S}»?\ai8h  Ian 
guage,  and  Gt)d  knows  to  whom  lie  would  give  your 
letters  to  be  read.    Thia  might  produce  distrirbaaees, 
whilst,  if  I  ani  the  pei-son  to  communicate  the  conteii^iv 
of  your  ietfcersi  to  hiin,  I  wiU  take  care  to  impress  tiieiu 
upon  him  with  prude'i.'  ajiv'  dextr:  ity,  and  procure  that 
your  vvTshes  be  complied  ^vitli.     In  this  way,  the  gover- 
nor and  myself  think  thai  we  can  obtain  all  that  we 

p  desire  without  ti  on  bie  and  noise. 

*^If  it  be  discovered  that  said  father  does  not  obey 
your  iBrjtructiojni^,  I  shall  give  your  Grace  due  informa- 
tioi'  thereof,  in  order  that  you  may  appoint  a  vicar  gene- 
ral;  and  if  you  deign  to  favor  my  suggestions,  you  might 
bestow  on  him  and  myself  the  faculty  of  granting  dis- 
^nsatioi  particularly  with  regard  to  the  publications  re- 
quued  beforethe  marriage  ceremony  can  be  performed. 
The  first  tilling  you  ought  to  do,  is  to  commission  some- 

V  body  who,  in  the  name  of  your  Orace,  would  take  pos- 
sesion, in  the  manner  you  may  determine,  of  the  chnrch 
^of  the  Nims  and  of  the  plantation  which  the  capuchins 
Save,  in  order  to  show  that  your  Grace  is  the  head  of 
» this, apostolic  see  and  the  administrator  of  all  its  posses- 
sionsu  :  In  this  way  we  shaU  know  how  matters  stand, 
for  it  is  said  ih&t  the  plantation  of  t^e  holy  Mhers 
is  under  mortgage.  What  is  certain,  Is  that  it  yields 
nothing  for  wantof  proper  managentent,  and  your  Grace 
might,  for  Sbhe  future,  make  such  regulations  as  would 


your 

inordi 

these 

same 

arriva 

have 

point 

if  our 


« 


>!'!1f 


m 


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.«/-•■ 


■p- 


Ml> 


THE  OLEBGy   OF  LOtTIBIAirA  IN  111% 


61 


|3*eveiit  the  ndn  of  those  fathers  from  bfeing  entirely 
afcoomplished.* 

"With  regard  to  otir  parochial  and  judicial  rights  and 
]>rivilege9,  it  is  sufficient  to  refer  to  the  governor's  letter  to 
our  Grace.  As  to  the  administration  of  the  sacraments, 
1  iiave  observed  no  abuse,  but  on  the  contrary,  I  must 
say  th.'t  they  are  received  with  great  piety— partiijularly 
the  sacrament  of  marriage.  I  must  state,  however,  that 
t^ere  is  no  preaching  every  Sunday  according  to  the 
mandate  of  the  Council;  but,  at  the  same  time,  I  must 
admit  that,  so  far  as  my  infoimation  goes,  sermons  are 
delivered  on  the  principal  holydays  of  the  year.  The 
French  capuchins  keep  three  books,  one  in  which  thej 
record  the  baptisms,  another  the  marriages,  and  in  the 
third,  the  deaths  of  the  whites  and  blacks,  as  they  occur ; 
which  practice  is  to  be  corrected.  I  must  also  remark 
that  these  books  ought  to  be  kept  in  Spanish,  and  the 
governor  and  myself  (for  we  shall  both  be  always  of  the 
same  mind)  will  look  to  the  reforms  which  it  may  be 
proper  to  introduce  in  relation  to  these  boolK. 

"  As  to  masses  pro  populo,  it  is  certain  that  they  are 
not  said;  for,  these  priests  tak^ no  notice  of  any  of  the 
apostolic  bulls  and  letters  which  have  hem  issued  for 
these  last  thirty  yeaw.  This  makes  it  necessary  that 
your  Grace  should  command  them  to  be  complied  with, 
in  order  thatj  with  your  Grace's  authority,  we  naay  correct 
these  Monks,  who  have  been  living  to  this  day,  with  th^: 
same  morals  which  they  brought  with  them  on  their  firsi 
arrival  in4hese  parts*  As  to  religious  conferences,  they 
have  no  idea  of  any  such  thing.  But  J^pass  Qver  th^ 
point  without  any  ftu?ther  notice,  and  wiH  On^  say,  that, 
if  our  most  reverend  proyineial  father  of  C^italona  be 


% 


t  If  .^po^Iuiw.  sret  tyrotaio  pojaAj  and  onghi  not  to  ha,Te  silver  spoony  why 
should  regulations  be  made  to  prevent  their  ruin  from'  being  acobinplifeiheid/kTOl 
io  enable  them  to  retain  pbtteMion  6f  a  pluttaiMu  and  of  ttavet  f 


J»V- 


.# 


# 


m 


TSE  CLERGY  OP  LOUKIAITA  EN"   1772. 


appointed  commissioner  for  this  province,  I  shall  take 
care  that  this  practice,  whici  we  observe  once  a  week 
Among  ourselves,  be  introduc  ^t  among  the  French. 
Capuchins. 

"The  confessionals,  in  their  shape  and  construction, 
are  more  decent  and  better  than  ours  in  Spain,  and,  fkr 
from  changing  any  thing  in  them,  I  would  recommend 
that  those  which  may  for  the  future  be  made  here,  be 
exactly  on  the  same  model.  What  is  to  be  regretted  is 
— ^that  ncne  of  these  priests  confess  in  these  confessionals, 
but  in  the  vestry,  where  they  sit  in  an  arm  chair,  by  the 
side  of  which  the  penitent  kneels.  On  the  first  day  of 
this  month,  when  many  ladies  came  to  confession,  it  was 
done  as  I  have  related,  with  the  exception  of  the  Spanish 
ladies,  who  were  shriven  by  us — ^the  Spanish  ladies  con- 
fessing in  the  morning,  the  French  in  the  evening.  On 
witnessing  such  an  abuse,  I  could  ncrt  help  asking  for  its 
cause,  and  I  was  answered  that  it  was  owing  to  the  heat. 
But  it  is  not  the  less  a  fact,  that  t  shrove  my  penitents 
in  the  morning,  in  the  confessionals  of  the  church,  not  in 
the  vestry,  and,  if  I  felt  the  heat,  surely  I  had  suffered 
more  from  the  same  cause  on  other  occasions  and  in 
other  places.  With  regard  to  the  habits  of  these  priests, 
I  know  very  little;  but  I  have  remarked  in  them  an 
independent  spirit,  which  is  not  disposed  to  obedience 
and  subjection.  As  to  their  going  to  balls,  I  do  not  see 
any  probability  in  it,  because  the  youngest  of  them  is 
fifty  years  old;  but  they  frequently  attend  dinner 
parties,  particularly  when  they  perform  maniage  cere- 
monies. This  is  always  done,  not  in  church  but  in 
private  houses,  where  they  usually  remain  to  enjoy  all 
the  pleasures  of  the  feast  This  is  contrary  to  our  holy 
habits,  and  y«ir  trraCe  will  order,  no  doubt,  that^,  hence- 
forth, marriages  be  celcHated  in  church,  Except  in  case 
of  ill-health  in  the  parties^  or  for  some  othef  importaoit 


•^ 


THE  OLERGT  OF  LOUISIANA  IN   1772. 


68 


cause;  and,  above  all,  that  no  prieat  be  permitted  to 
accept  of  any  invitation  to  dinner^  or  to  partake  of  any 
convivialities  at  the  houses  of  those  whom  he  may  be 
called  to  unite  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock. 

"  The  report  is,  that  these  Capudiins  play  cards.  It 
is  for  your  Grace  to  put  a  stop  to  a  practice,  which  is  so 
repugnant  to  the  character  of  a  mini<%ter  of  God  and 
especially  of  a  Capuchin.  With  regard  to  the  Nuns,  I 
cannot  give  you  any  information,  unless  it  is  that  they 
live  as  they  have  always  done,  without  being  cloistered, 
and  as  if  they  were  not  nuns  at  all.  They  have  for  their 
ordinary  confessor,  father  Prosper,  who  is  seventy-two 
years  old,  but  very  strong  and  robust,  and  capable  of 
directing  them.  As  to  any  violation^  of  rules  and 
discipline,  I  shall  say  nothing,  and  satisfy  myseli^. 
with  repeating,  that  no  Pope's  bulls  and  apostolic  de- 
criBtals  ever  reach  this  capital.  What  gives  me  the 
greatest  concern  is,  that  the  slaves  live  and  die  in  a  state 
of  concubinage ;  and,  what  is  worse,  this  is  to  the  know- 
ledge and  with  the  consent  of  their  masters,  who 
tolerate  their  living  together  like  man  and  wife. '  This 
evil  must  be  immediately  remedied.  When  Count 
O'ReiUy  was  here,  he  prohibited  this  kind  of  scandalous 
connection,  and  he  succeeded  in  having  fdrty  of  these 
people  married  coriim  facie  EcclesisB;  but,  sincc^  his  ||, 
departure,  it  is  of  this  matter  as  heretofore.  The  reason 
which  the  slaves  give  for  not  getting  married  is,  tha% 
they  are  exposed  to  be  sold  by  their  masters  and  to  bo 
thus  separated.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  most  effective 
way  to  prevent  the  commission  of  such  sins,  is  to  impose 
upon  the  masters  the  obl%ation  of  watcMng  over  the  . 
morals  of  their  slaves. 

**  O^r  holy  fethers  hfive  no  lack  of  negroes  and  mulat- 
tresses,  smoe  they  have  eighteen  of  them  in  the  convent, 
of  both  sexes  ai^  of  different  ages,  among  whom  there 


% 


■#■ 


64 


*»t 


THS  OLBBOT  OF   LOUISIANA  IN   1772. 


S"*^!.^'" 


are  but  two  married  couples,  when  eight  women  and  two 
men  are  marriageable,  and  still  are  suffered  to  live  in  a 
state  of  celibacy.  Besides,  there  are  two  boys  and  two 
girls,  three  of  whom  are  the  issue  of  a  mulattress,  who  has 
the  direction  of  the  convent.  This  woman  has  a  sister, 
who  is  in  a  delicate  situation,  and  yet  who  is  not  known 
to  hpvc  a  husband.  1  felt  so  much  solicitude  on  the 
subject,  that  I  procured  to  see,  one  day,  at  four  o'clock 
in  the  mo  "ning,  a  white  man  sallying  out  of  the  chamber 
of  this  mulattress,  and  I  am  informed  by  persons  of  high 
standing  and  of  great  religious  zeal,  such  as  the  colonel 
of  the  regiment  and  others,  that  the  young  negresses  and 
mulattresses,  immediately  after  having  attended  us  at 
supper,  go  out  of  the  convent  to  meet  their  lovers,  and 
spend  with  them  the  greater  part  of  the  nip^ht.  K  such 
of  them  as  live  under  the  immediate  inspection  of  the 
fathers  behave  in  this  way,  what  must  it  be  with  those 
who  live  on  the  plantation?  It  will  be  necessary  to 
find  a  remedy  to  these  scandals.  I  am  gf  opinion,  how- 
over,  that,  to  expel  all  these  women  from  the  convent, 
would  be  to  inflict  too  painful  a  blow  on  father  Dago- 
bert.  Therefore  he  might,  for  the  present,  be  permitted 
to  retain  his  three  black  men  and  three  black  wenches 
or  mulattresses,  provided  they  aro  ascei*tained  to  be 
married,  or  get  married — one  man  au»  I  his  wife  to  be  for 
the  kitchen,  two  men  to  wait  on  us  at  table,  and  their 
wives,  to  take  care  of  the  house.  And,  as  these  women 
nave  their  dwellings  in  the  yard  of  the  convent,  it  might 
be  prescribed  that,  for  no  motive,  and  und-^r  no  pretext 
whatsoever,  they  shall  be  authorized  to  eater  the  cham- 
bers occupied  by  the  friars^  The  governor  of  this  pro- 
vince has  no  black  women  nor  mulattresses  to  wait  upon 
Fml  Why  should  they?  Your  ©race  and  other  per- 
sonages of  exalted  ralik  require  no  mulattresses.  Why 
should  liie  French  Gapuc^ing  need  ai^J    I  do  not  hesi- 


M 


-  r 


*. 


TITE  OLEROT  OF  LOr  ISUT'      IN   IIIX 


60 


tate  to  say,  that,  in  matters  of  this  kind,  the  glory  and 
service  of  God  is  the  only  thing  to  be  regarded,  without 
oaring  for  worldly  considerations.  Let  these  women  be 
expelled  from  the  convent,  and  be  sent  to  the  plantation. 
There,  if  they  cannot  be  useful  (and  I  am  of  opinion 
that  they  are  not  wanted),  let  them  be  sold,  and  let 
those  who  may  be  retained,  and  who  may  be  of  age  to 
wed,  take  husbands.  This  would  be  giving  the  good 
example,  and  let  it  be  understood  that,  if  they  work  on 
the  plantation,  they  must  be  supplied  with  sufficient 
food  and  clothing,  as  justice  requires ;  and  let  it  not  be 
with  them,  as  it  is,  if  I  am  correctly  informed,  with  the 
generality  of  slaves  here,  who  are  furnished  by  their 
masters  but  with  one  barrel  of  corn  per  month,  which  is 
less  than  is  given  to  a  horse.  This  barrel  of  com  is  to 
be  both  food  and  clothing  to  them ;  and,  as  this  is  im- 
possible, their  necessities  drive  them  into  prostitution 
and  other  shameftil  vices.  But  if  your  Grace  should 
determine  that  any  black  woman  or  mulattress  may  be 
retuned  in  the  convent,  I  would  suggest  the  propriety 
of  her  being  put  under  lock  and  key  every  night,  and 
recommend  that  the  key  be  delivered  to  whomsoever 
you  might  designate." 

The  worthy  friar  Cirilo  now  goes  into  detfdls,  as  to 
the  measures  which  he  thinks  most  advisable  to  be 
adopted  for  the  better  administration  of  the  temporal- 
ties  of  the  order,  and  says : 

"I  think  that  many  other  reforms  will  be  necessary  in 
the  course  of  time,  but  I  have  mentioned,  I  believe,  aU 
that  was  most  important  to  be  attended  to$  in  order  to 
ciire  a  body  which  has^  been  diseased  from  ite  very  crea- 
tion *,  for  father  Dagobert  has  allowed  a  free  course  to 
the  distemper.  It  is  ^rtain  that  wh«i  he  came  to  the 
colony,  aU  tho^e  wJio'  saw  Mm  then  i»y  thAt  h^  was 
poorer  than  we  are,  ftnd  that  he  h$d  notysg  but  his 


Vi        (5 
^1 


••# 


•Jl 


m' 


66 


THB  OLEBOT  OF  LOUISIANA  IS   111% 


iM 


jiiJ 


•«'■ 


breviary  and  his  gown,  whilst  the  king  has  provided  as 
with  all  our  necessaries.  But  I  know  that  I  am  a  capu- 
chin ;  thatf  as  such,  I  cannot  even  own  any  of  the  things 
I  need,  and  that  only  their  tem^iorary  use  is  permitted 
to  me.  For  this  reason,  as  well  as  to  save  my  soul,  and 
in  order  that  I  may  not  have  to  answer  before  God  for 
the  souls  of  others,  should  it  become  my  lot  to  organize 
and  reform  this  mission,  I  would  do  the  work  with  the 
most  careful  precision,  and  be  the  first  to  give  the  good 
example  in  my  person  ;  because,  if  the  said  father  Dago- 
bert,  who  has  been  Superior  so  long,  had  been  a  true 
capuchin  and  had  behaved  as  such,  there  would  have 
been  no  necessity  for  reforms  in  this  convent,  or  mission. 
In  all  sincerity  I  entreat  your  grace  not  to  think  of  me 
as  vicar  general  of  this  province^  not  that  I  anticipate  the 
fate  of  St.  Benoit,  who  was  murdered  by  the  very  monkn 
who  had  elected  him  their  abbot.  I  do  not  suspect  these 
to  be  capable  of  such  a  crime,  nor  do  I  fear  death,  because 
I  should  be  jboo  happy  to  die  for  the  greater  glorification 
of  the  Lord ;  but  I  think  my  abilities  unequal  to  the  task. 
I  conclude  with  praying  God  to  enlighten  your  Grace  in 
this  aflGur,  as  on  those  occasions  in  which  you  have  dis- 
played so  much  zeal,  prudence  and  gentleness  of  heart." 
The  governor's  letter,  to  which  father  Cirilo  refers,  had 
been  addressed  by  that  functionary,  on  the  11th  of  July, 
to  the  bishop  of  Havana,  and  contained  a  detailed  and 
minute  statement  of  the  ecclesiastical  organization  of  the 
province  of  Louisiana.  "  Under  the  king  of  France,  her 
former  master,  she  eiyoyed,"  said  he,  "the  fullest  and 
most  entire  liberty.  Her  inhabitants  were  subjected  to 
no  other  authority  than  that  of  the  laws,  and  were  ruled 
by  no  other  customs  than  those  of  Paris,  The  principal 
and  almost  only  act  of  sovereignty,  exercised  by  the  king, 
oonfflsted  in  ^pointing  the  judgesj,,  The  whole  aim  of 
the  French  government  was  to  people  and  cause  to  flourish 


cat 

pittb] 

SUCCi 


■'■!*i>« 


W^ 


% 


,v 


*?-' 


x^ 


THE  OUBBOT  OF  LOVJBIANA  IN   1771 


6T 


a  cotintiy,  which  gave  the  promise,  through  its  fertility, 
of  being  converted  into  an  immense  and  profitable  realm, 
when  its  primitive  wildnens  should  have  been  subdue  J 
by  the  labors  of  cultivation.  In  order  to  accomplish  this 
end,  favors  and  rewards  were  granted  to  the  colonist:^, 
to  stimulate  their  exertions.  They  met  with  no  impedi- 
ments, provided  they  were  active,  industrious,  and  labo- 
rious, and  they  were  not  controled  in  their  religions 
sentiments,  in  order  that  the  disturbances  which  a  con- 
trary course  would  have  produced,  should  not  retard  the 
increase  of  the  population.  The  king  used  to  pay  out  of 
his  treasury  a  mission  of  capuchins,  who  ministered  to 
the  spiritual  wants  of  the  colony,  under  the  superinten- 
dence of  the  bishop  of  Quebec.  This  bishop  appointed 
for  his  vicar  general  a  Jesuit,  to  whom  he  delegated  the  au- 
thority of  granting  dispensations  with  regard  to  man'iage 
publications,  and  the  impedin^ents  to  wed  arising  from 
the  blood  relations  of  the  parties.  But  the  firiar,  Hilaire 
de  Gfenoveauic,  having  been  made  Superior  of  the  mission 
of  capuchins  by  the  provincial  of  the  provmce  of  Cham- 
pagne in  France,  began  to  question  the  Jesuit's  powers, 
which  he  pretended  to  be  vested  in  him  alone,  as  the 
high  prelate  and  curate  of  this  parish.  He  further 
asserted  thiat  the  bishop's  jurisdiction  was  limited  to  mere 
acts  of  supervision.  This  produced  the  noise  which  is 
the  natural  consequence  of  disputes  of  the  kind.  In  the 
meanwhile,  father  G«noveaux  went  to  France,  and  re- 
turned with  the  title  of  apostolic  prothonotary,  on  the 
strength  of  which  he  claimed  such  privileges,  that  he 
added  new  fiiel  to  the  Jesuit's  rage,  and  their  wranglings 
were  renewed.  The  Jesuit,  in  his  capacity  of  vicar  ge>ne- 
ral  of  the  bishop  of  Quebec,  asked  of  the  Superior  Coun- 
cil the  expulsion  of  his  antagonist  as  a  perturber  of  the 
pUbHe,  peace  and  usurper  of  episeopiO.  jurisdicl^on,  and 
succeeded  in  his  application.    TMs  event  and  tiie  sub- 


* 


* 


f^- 


t^^ 

mi 

'^M 

m 

km 

1 

m 

I^U^? 

fl 

'"'iWJM 

Kf||v^jfigfi 

m^ETl 

,'3tjfM 

^mII 

ii^*"8 

^P^^&1fy 

'  ■''[■^^•^ 

■H 

wmmm 


'It    ^'^^i  .-■ 


,<»*' 


68 


v?", 


THE  CLEEGY  OP  LOTJISIANA  IS  llli. 


•i 


sequent  exile  of  the  Jesuits  were  the  cause  that  father 
Dagobert  became  the  Superior  of  the  mission  and  the 
vicar  general  of  th^  bishop.  He  is  a  pacific  man,  much 
liked  by  the  people  and  by  those  placed  under  his  juris- 
diction. Thus  stood  matters  when  his  Majesty  took 
possession  of  the  province,  and  his  excellency,  Count 
O'Reilly,  made,  no  change  in  its  religious  organization 
beyond  expelling  some  Jews  and  Protestants." 

The  Governor  then  went  into  an  enumeration  of  the 
priests  of  the  colony,  of  the  places  where  they  were 
located,  and  of  the  functions  they  discharged.  '^  All  those 
friars,"  said  he,  "  are  excellent  men,  and  give  the  good 
example ;  but  among  them  there  are  some  who  are  well 
informed,  and  others  scarcely  instructed  as  to  the  duties 
of  their  sacred  calling ;  aU,  however,  labor  zealously  to 
the  best  of  their  abilities  and  knowledge,  and  they  are 
familiar  with  the  great  poverty  and  destitution  of  their 
parishioners.  Among  them,  father  Dagobert  obtained 
the  esteem  of  Count  O'Reilly  and  the  good  will  of  all  the 
Spaniards  by  his  kindness  and  the  prudence  of  his  de- 
portment. He  is  beloved  by  the  people,  and,  on  the 
^rounds  which  I  have  stated,  I  consider  him  entitled  to 
the  favor  of  your  Grace." 

The  Governor  goes  into  many  details  as  to  the  revenues 
of  the  church  and  the  emoluments  of  the  priests,  who,  to 
use  his  expressions,  had  more  than  enough  to  live  with 
as  much  decency  and  decorum  as  their  position  requii*ed# 
"The  Nuns,  who  are  very  few,"  said  he,  "are  supported 
by  the  king  on  the  same  footing  with  the  (sapuchins,  and 
his  Majesty  pays  them  a  pension  for  a  certain  number  of. 
orphans  th€sy  jeducate.  They  possess  a  plaatation  with 
slaves,  and  another  without  any,  under  the  administra- 
tion of  the^rioress,;  who  liyei  cloistered,  and  und^r  the 
direction  of  t^Leir  chapl^.  These  plantations  are  as 
badly  managed,  throi^h  want  of  proper  knowledge,  ^, 


#"' 


'■f. 


THE  CaaEBOT  OF  liOUISIANA  ET   111% 


69 


•ly,  ■ 


.;A 


% 


tha*(rfthe^apucJaiiSj  and  they  ai^^^^^a^  a  source  of  ex- 
pense both  to  the  capnchins  and  the  Nuns,  rather  than  of 
revenue.  The  excessive  kindness  of  father  Dagobert 
permits,  that  there  be  in  the  convent  of  these  firiai-s 
young  blackwomen  and  mulattresses,  who  are  their  slaves, 
and  who  were  bom  on  their  plantation.  This  is  contraiy 
to  the  sacred  dispositions  of  the  canons  of  the  church,  and 
the  prudence  of  your  Grace  will  know  how  to  cure  this 
distemper  without  cauterizing  the  patient. 

"The  bishop  of  Quebec  seems  to  have  delegated  to 
his  vicar  here  the  faculty  of  granting  dispensations,  \^ith 
regard  to  marriage  prohibitions,  and  the  impediments  to 
wed  arising  from  consanguinity,  and  also  the  privilege 
of  permitting  the  celebration  of  marriages,  according  to 
his  Judgmentj  at  the  residences  of  the  parties  either  in 
the  country  or  in  the  town.  But  in  general  that  ceremo- 
ny is  performed  at  church,  in  conformity  with  the  wishes 
of  the  parties  themselves.  Marriage  is  a  very  solemn 
contract  among  the  French,  and  a  sacrament  of  felicities 
(y  un  Sacramento  de  felicidadas).  According  to  the 
laws  and  bid  customs  of  the  territory,  minora  cannot 
marry  without  the  express  consent  of  their  parents ;  such 
marriages  were  declared  null  and  clandestine,  and  repro- 
bated as  conducive  to  seducing  away  young  girls  from 
the  legitimate  authority  under  whose  keeping  they  were 
placed.  This.:is  harsh,  and  your  Grace  will  determine 
what  is  suitable  in  so  serious  a  matter,  from  which 
depends  public  tranquility.  v^ 

"  It  is  net  the  practice  here  to  force  any  one  to  sub- 
mit to  the  Church,  and  the  process  of  excommunication 
is  held  in  utter  abomination.  I  assure  your  Grace,  how- 
ever, that  those  who  live  out  of  the  paie  of  the  Chnrch 
are  very  few.  These  people  are  devout;,  respectful,  and 
edifying  in  their  deportment  wheri  in  churchr^  But^  to 
go  to  confession  and  receive  l^esacrftznent,  is  a  thing  un^ 


1 


*.. 


^^iP 


# 


4<: 


-^^Ai. 


1 


\:}n.:  ,^t'»l 


^  :a 


if  IP' 

»"i''"  •e^f-  Jp-i- 


70 


THE  CLERGY  OP  LOUISIANA  IN   llli. 


known  with  iLe  male  part  of  the  population.  They  look, 
upon  it  as  an  act  of  hypocrisy,  and  as  treating  with 
le^'ity  the  holiest  sacrament,  whose  mystery  they  worship 
vnth.  the  deepest  and  humblest  veneration. :  Hence  it 
results  that  thoy  approach,  for  the  first  and  last  time, 
the  communion  table,  on  reaching  the  age  of  puberty. 

"  The  Church  here  enjoys  no  immunities  and  privi- 
leges, and  its  jurisdiction  is  entirely  confined  to  the- 
spiritual.  The  affiancing  of  parties,  the  nullity  or 
validity  of  the  marriage  contract,  the  granting  of  a 
perpetual  divorce,  or  a  temporary  separation,  all  this 
falls  under  the  cognizance  of  the  secular  power,  to  which 
the  clergy  itself  is  subjected  for  any  crime  which  may 
be  committed  by  one  of  its  members.  Marriage  here 
was  considered  in  the  light  of  a  civil  contract  only,  and 
the  clergy,  as  in  France,  exercised  no  judicial  prerogative 
over  their  feUow-subjects.  In  order  to  establish  in  this 
province  the  ecclesiastical  jmisdiction  without  any 
(liritjirl)ance  or  scandal,  it  would  be  proper  that  your 
vicai'-general  should  be  satisfied  with  making  known, 
verbally,  what  are  the  matters,  among  those  of  little 
importance,  which  he  considers  to  be  of  his  competency, 
and  that  he  should  proceed  therein  with  moderation, 
Avithout  the  bustling  apparatus  of  a  court  of  justice,  and 
without  costs  to  the  parties.  But  in  cases  of  a  serious 
nature,  such  as  those  which  may  arise  from  the  act  of 
affiancing,  from  the  alleged  validity  or  nullity  of  a 
marriage,  or  an  application  for  a  final  divorce,  when  the 
parties,  or  the  facts  of  the  case,  are  of  sufficient  import- 
ance to  excite  public  attention,  it  would  be  advisable 
not  to  proceed  here  beyond  the  taking  down  of  all  the 
testimony  required,  and  to  submit  it  to  your  Grace,  or 
to  your  vicar-general  in  Havana^  for  adjudication  ;  and, 
considering  that  father  Dagobert,  your  vicar-general 
here,  is  ro  jurist,  your   Grace  might   advise  him  to 


^ 


THE  OLBBGT  OP  LOUISIANA   IS    1772. 


71 


M'^W^ 


consult,  in  such  matters,  my  auditor,  &c.  In  this  way, 
should  my  suggestions  meet  your  approbation,  our  laws 
and  customs  would  be  introduced  insensibly,  without 
clashing  too  abruptly  with  those  to  which  the  people  of 
this  country  have  been  accustomed." 

The  Governor  went  on  informing  the  bishop  of  Ha- 
vana, that  the  ecclesiastical  registries  were  in  the  greatest 
state  of  disorder,  being  kept  in  the  most  ridiculous  and 
filthy  manner,  and  recommended  the  adoption  of  the 
plan  which  was  followed  in  Havana,  for  the  keeping  of 
similar  records.  He  also  said  that  it  was  customary  in 
the  province,  to  administer  to  those  convicts  who  were 
sentenced  to  death  the  sacred  sacrament  of  penitence 
only,  but  that  he  saw  no  inconvenience  in  following  the 
regulations  of  the  Spanish  clergy  on  the  subject. 

"  It  seems  proper  to  me,"  said  he,  "  that  all  the  Friars 
who  have  now  some  employment,  should  be  retained  in 
the  same,  and  father  Dagobert,  for  one  year,  in  that  of 
vicar-general.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Spanish  Friars  will 
have  acquired  all  the  knowledge  they  may  want,  and 
then  one  of  them  may  be  selected  to  succeed  the  present 
incumbent,  on  the  ground  that  a  man  who  has  worked 
so,  long  is  entitled  to  repose.  Nevertheless,  he  ill 
always  be  glad  to  officiate,  because  singing  in  church  is 
with  him  a  passion.  The  other  Friars  will  follow  his 
orders,  as  to  the  discharge  of  their  sacred  funciu  ns.  It 
is  their  duty  to  take  charge  of  the  souls,  and,  in  it^  ac- 
complishment, they  will  move*  to  the  right  or  to  the  left, 
as  the  necessity  of  the  case  may  require,  and  >vith  that 
entire  8ubml«>sion  which  is  to  be  expected  from  the  sons 
of  obedience,"  (hijos  de  obediencia.) 

It  is  evident,  from  the  tone  of  these  two  letters,  that 
father  Cirilo  was  laboring  under  a  delusion,  as  subsequent 
events  will  show,  when  he  said  that :  "  the  governor  and 
himseilf  would  always  be  of  the  same  mind."    On  the 


:^^mi 


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12 


THE  OLERGY   OF  LOUISIANA  IN    111^ 


ISth  of  September,  he  had  become  much  ex£.^perated, 
ftxid  e3q)ressed  himself  as  follows  to  the  bishop  of  Cuba. 
"  Most  illustrious  sir,  I  will  proceed  to  make  known  to 
your  Grace  the  circumstances  which  caused  father  Bago- 
bert  to  become  the  Superior  of  this  province.  When 
Louisiana  was  ceded  to  Spain,  the  chiefs  -  f  the  insurrection 
which  broke  out  shortly  after,  communicated  their  rebel- 
lious intentions  to  father  Hilaire  de  Genoveaux,  who  was 
then  the  ecclesiastical  superior  of  the  colony,  and  requested 
him  to  lend  them  his  assistance  in  driving  the  people 
into  the  premeditated  revolution.  He,  who  folly  appre- 
ciated the  consequences  of  such  an  act,  would  not  con- 
sent to  it,  and  then  they  applied  to  this  father  Dagobert, 
to  whom  they  made  the  same  proposition.  This  friar, 
who  aimed  at  nothing  but  power,  not  only  assented  to 
what  was  asked  of  him,  but  did  a  great  many  other 
things.  Matters  being  t^us  arranged,  the  chiefs  c"  the 
sedition  seized  father  Genoveaux,  embjirked  him  loaded 
with  chains,  and  transported  him  out  of  the  colony. 
Father  Dagobert,  having  thus  got  rid  of  his  Superior, 
wrote  to  the  head  of  the  order  in  Gh^npagr ",  that  this 
father  Genoveaux  had  run  away  to  the  English,  and,  on 
this  representation,  got  himself  confirmed  iL  tht  office  to 
which  he  had  been  promoted.  But,  with  i3gard  to  this 
father  Dagobert,  it  happens  that  he  has  forgotten  to 
notify  the  faithful  of  the  coming  of  Ember  weeks.  His 
attention  b«ng  called  to  this  omission,  he  solved  the 
difficulty  by  transferring  the  observance  of  these  sa^ed 
days  to  the  week  following.  We  replied  to  him  that 
we  did  not  feel  authorized  to  pursue  such  a  cours-B,  and 
he  then  observed :  "  Very  well ;  you  may  fast  this  week, 
if  you  please,  but  the  public  will  on  the  next."  Thus 
you  see  that  he  arrogates  to  himself  more  poorer  than  is 
possessed  by  the  Pope,  and  that  he  changes,  on  his  o\/n 
private  authority,  all  the  regulations  of  the  chui'ch. 


'^ 


% 


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up 


.* 


>*.%.. 


^^, 


TJHE  CLERGY  OF  LOUISIANA  IS    llli. 


75 


After- all,  these  things  but  coniGbja  the  truth  of  this 
asioiB:  whure  /cmIs  the  fea/r  of  Qod^  tliere  faUa  every 
thing  else.  What  remains  for  us  to  do  is  to  write  to  the 
Court,  to  obtain  the  disniission  of  father  Dagol>ert,  and, 
perhaps,  of  some  other  persons.^  I  think  that  it  would 
require' very  little  eflfort  to  obtain  this  dismission,  and  i^ 
to  replace  these  men,,  there  did  not  come  Capuchins 
enough  from  Castile,  there  would  be  no  lack  of  them;  in 
my  province  of  Catalona  that  would  come  here." 

This  despatch  had  hardly  been  closed,  when  his  m- 
dignation,  ii:  seems,  gathering  fresh  strength  with  the 
passing  hour,  forced  hun  to  resume  his  pen  on  the  veiy 
same  day,  and  to  disburthen  himself  in  the  following 
strain :  "  Illustrious  sir,  the  evUs  by  which  we  are  sur- 
rounded coripel  us  to  expose  the  wicked  actions  which 
these  monsters,  rather  than  Capuchins,  perpetrate  against 
om'  persons.*  /gainst  God  and  his  holy  thing8.f  It  is 
not  my  intention,  most  excellent  sir,,  to  trouble  you  with 
trifles,  and  therefore,  with  regard  to  what  concerns  our- 
selves, I  shall  merely  say  that  the  very  Spanish  name  is  || 
an  object  of  abomination  to  these  Friars,  because  they 
cannot  even  bear  the  sight  of  the  things  which  are  of 
God,  and  which  appertain  to  our  divine  religion,  and 
because  these  Friai-s  or  monsters  think  that  we  have 
come  to  repress  the  abuses  v^hich  they  love,  and  to  re- 
form their  evil  ways.  Therefore  tibey  hate  us,  and  such 
IB  the  reason  why  we  cannot  obtain  from  them  even 
what  is  necessary  to  the  so  very  Innited  wants  of  a  poor 
Capuchir-=-suoh,  for  instance,  as  a  table  to  write  on,  an 
humble  box  wherein  to  put  our  wearing  apparel,  paper, 
inkj  quill9  and  other  trifles.  When  the^  h&ve  bags  so 
full  c£  dollars,  we  are  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  our 
friejids  to  relieve  oar  necefiisities. 


*  Hie  Spani^  Oapnehina. 


f  T  sua  ooass  aagradas. 

f  ■  # 


" 


'.* 


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u 


THE  CLERGY  OF  LOUISIANA  IN   1*11%." 


"What  is  most  deplorable  is  to  see  in  the  colivent  the 
concubine  of  the  friars,  for  such  is  the  reputation  she 
bears.  She  has  three  sons,  althoiigh  who  her  hus- 
band is  God  only  knows.  They  eat  at  our  table  and  off 
the  plates  of  father  Dagobert,  who,  without  shame,  or 
fear  ol  the  world  at  least,  if  not  of  God,  permits  then^' 
to  caU  him  papa.  She  is  one  of  the  mulattresses  who  are 
kept  in  the  house.  She  is  the  absolute  mistress  of  the 
whole  ept^^lishment,  and  the  friars  have  for  her  so 
much  att  '('timent,  that  they  strive  who  shall  send  to  the 
cherishrj  naramour  the  ussc  dish  on  the  table,  before 
any  oiiG  ^i  us  is  allowed  to  taste  it.  To  witness  such 
tM  'n.  an  '  to  be  silent  oat  of  the  sheerest  complaisance, 
is  wliat  <  'ves  additional  poignancy  to  our  grief.  But 
these  si  '  Jngs,  being  supported  for  the  sake  of  God,  to 
whose  service  we  have  consecrated  ourselves,  will  make 
more  meritorious  the  labors  which  we  have  undergone 
to  please  our  God  and  our  monarch  (whom  may  God 
have  in  his  holy  keeping !).  There  are,  however,  greater 
evils  which  afflict  our  hearts,  and -which  are  the  sins  they 
clearly  commit  against  God  and  his  holy  sacraments. 
Baptism  is  administered  without  any  of  the  ceremonies 
prescribed  by  the  Rom»h  ritual,  and  the  consecrated 
oil  itself  is  impure  and  stale.  Children  are  christened 
when  it  suits  the  whim  or  caprice  of  their  parents,  and 
hence  months  will  elapse  previous  to  the  performance 
of  this  ceremony.  But  father  J^agob'^rt  never  fails  eating 
at  the  house  of  the  parents  of  tke  newly  christened  child. 
All  of  which  things  are  unworthy  of  a  man  who  is  the 
ecdesiastical  head  of  this  province.  As  to  the  Eucharist, 
tltfit  niystery  which  makes  the  angels  tremble  with  awe, 
we  found  that  the  sacramental  elements  were  so  full  of 
insects  which  fed  on  them,  and  presented  so  disgusting 
an  appearance,  that  it  was  necessary  to  fling  them  intci^ 
the  Jakes,  as  if  they  had  been  the  veriest  filth.    So  gi'eat 


'"^.t: 


:i.- 


THE  OLElttOY  OF  LOUISIANA  IN  1772. 


76 


-i^ 


is  the  detestable  negligence  of  these  men,  that  I  think 
they  are  the  disciples  either  of  Luther  or  Calvin  I  The 
consecrated  oil  is  never  renewed,  either  because  they 
think  that  it  is  incorruptible,  or  because,  like  the  heretics, 
they  do  not  believe  in  the  real  presence  of  Christ  in  the 
Eucharist  after  the  utterance  of  the  consecrating  words ; 
and  the  proof  of  it  is,  that,  on  our  remonstrating  with 
them  on  this  state  of  things,  one  of  them  answered  with 
the  greatest  serenity  that  he  had  kept  two  years  a  large 
consecrated  wafer,  and  had  not  thought  necessary  to 
change  it.  Nor  is  less  the  irreverence  with  which  they 
behave  when  they  exhibit  the  Host  to  the  people  ;  for 
without  singing,  or  burning  any  incense,  they  take  it  out 
of  its  small  tabernacle^  and  expose  it  in  the  most  indecent 
manner ;  or,  at  Vespers,  they  '^ing  the  /Sahe  Megma^  and 
also  on  the  first  Sundays  of  every  month.  The  Host 
being  exposed,  they  sing  the  Miserere^  de  Profundis^  and 
requiem^  c§o.— which  practices  are  contrary  to  the  rules 
of  the  breviary  and  to  the  decretals. 

"  This  father  Dagobert  is  a  great  hand  at  giving  vmh 
the  sacrament  the  benediction  to  the  people,  whenever 
it  is  desired  by  them.  Thus,  in  a  little  more  thMi  a 
month,  he  gave  it  eight  times.  He  is  no  less  fond  of 
making  processions,  for  which  he  has  no  authority,  and 
for  which  there  is  no  necessity ;  and,  what  is  still  more 
singular,  when  thus  going  out  in  procession,  he  abandons 
the  Host  without  leaving  any  priest  to  watch  over  it. 
Once  I  saw  him  go  out  with  the  Viaticum  without  order- 
ing the  bells  to  be  rung,  and  with  as  little  ceremony  as 
if  he  was  bent  only  on  taking  a  walk.  I  say  that  I  have 
seen  him  caiTy  the  Viaticum  but  once^  although  many 
are  the  deaths  that  have  occurred  ^noe  I  am  here. 
You  must  also  be  made  to  know,  most  excellent  Sir,  that 
the  Viaticum  is  not  administered  to  the  blacks,  to  ^e 
mulattoes,  nor  to  the  culprits  who  are  sentenced  to  death ; 


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76 


.-"HT'^ 


THE  CLEBaY   OF  LOUISIANA  IN   111% 


and,  having  asked  father  Dagobert  for  the  cause  of  it,  ^ 
I  was  answered  that  it  was  to  establish  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  blacks  and  whites.  Did  you  ever  hear  a  more 
cruel  answer  ?  Moreover,  having  inquired  if  he  shrove 
them,  he  told  me  that  he  did,  but  that  they  never  took 
the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist.  Was  there  eve^^  such 
ignorance  in  any  priest  ?  Who  wUl  account  to  God  foi  r 
this  neglect  and  for  the  sins  of  these  poor  people,  who 
are  not  taught  to  participate  in  the  blessed  sacrament  of 
communion  at  the  hour  of  their  death  ?  Nor  is  less  the 
indecency  with  which,  in  sight  of  the  e3q)osed  Host,  these 
priests  demean  themselves  in  the  choir,  where  they  are 
seen  stuffing  theii*  noses  with  tobacco,  crossing  one  leg  on 
the  top  of  the  other,  staring  round  in  every  direction, 
scandalizing  the  people,  and  moving  the  very  angels  to 
wrath. 

"  With  regard  to  the  sacrament  of  penitence,  as  God 
alone  can  know  how  it  is  administered,  we  must  leave  it 
to  Him  to  express  His  judgment  upon  it,  when  the  day 
shan  come.  I  shall  only  say  that  these  priests  do  not 
knoT-  nor  ever  have  known,  nor  ever  will  know  any- 
thing of  morals  and  religion,  for  since  our  coming  to  this  ' 
colony,  we  have  never  known  them  to  remain  in  their 
convent  beyond  the  time  required  to  eat  and  sleep ;  and 
with  regard  to  father  Dagobert,  here  is  m  a  few  words 
how  he  lives :  he  rises  at  six  in  the  morning,  says  or  does 
not  say  mass  (such  mass  as  he  says  !)  preparing  himself 
in  this  way  for  the  duties  of  ihe  day.  He  then  goes  to 
chui'ch,  hardly  makes  the  proper  genuflection,  claps  on 
iiis  bonnet,  says  his  mass  which  does  iiot  last  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  without  any  of  the  prescribed  ceremonies, 
uncovers  his  head,  makes  another  genuflection  as  for 
grace,  and  taking  his  thi'ee-oomered  hi^t,  which  is  a  vei*y 
superfluous  and  unworthy  appenda^'^e  for  a  capuchin,  h© 
goes  (withe  iit  thinking  of  sfiying  ^ny  A-'ve  J|f«m,  except 


..* 


II 


■f 


* 


p 


TSB  OLEBaT  OF  LOTJIBUJXA.  IN  1779. 


11 


it  be  for  goodly  dollars,  and  in  abundance)  to  a  some- 
;what  suspicious  house,  whei'e  be  plays  until  tbe  dinner 
hour.  When  that  me^  is  over,  he  resumes  the  occupa- 
tion in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  continues  in  it  until 
supper  time,  so  that  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  he  com- 
plies with  divine  worship.  With  regard  to  extreme 
unction,  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  how  this 
sacrament  is  admimstered,  and  I  do  not  know  whether 
it  is  administered  at  all,  but  I  believe  that  they  carry  it 
in  their  purse.* 

"  With  regard  to  the  holy  sacrament  of  marriage,  it  is 
in  its  administration  that  the  greatest  abuses  are  com- 
mitted. In  the  first  place,  we  have  good  grounds  to 
suppose  that  they  obsei've  none  of  the  ceremonies  of 
their  ritual,  which  is  the  Romish,  and  I  have  already 
remarked  that,  with  the  exception  of  the  poor  and  the 
blacks,  none  marry  in  church,  but  that  our  Superior 
goes  about,  either  in  the  town  or  out  of  it,  marrying 
people  in  their  own  houses,  where  he  says  mass  and  re- 
mains with  them  to  participate  in  all  the  festivities  of 
the  occasion.  Since  my  coming  here  there  have  been  many 
marriages,  but  the  parties  have  every  time  been  granted 
a  dispensation  for  the  required  publications,  for  no 
other  purpose  than  that  of  getting  money,  which  is  his 
god.  I  faiow  that  all  this  is  to  be  paid  for  and  well 
too,  because  I  am  informed  that  thirty  dollars  have  to  be 
given  for  a  mass  with  a  Inbera  me  Dom/My  an:d  one 
hundred  and  fifty  for  a  solerim  service  for  the  dclad.  I 
am  not  aware  of  what  is  paid  for  the  othfer  sacjrftments. 
We  have  neVerseen  tiiese  |)riests  celebraftetite  marriage 
ceremony  for  any  black  couple,  except  it  be  for  a  negro 
who  resided  in  the  house  c^  a  Spaniard,  ^d  &ven  this 
was  done  with  a  good  de^  «f  repugnanee  or  the  part 


* 


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78 


THE  CLEBOY   OF   LOUISIANA  IN   1772. 


of  father  Dagobert,  wli  objected  that  this  was  not  cus- 
tomary, and  thf.  this  iiegio,  like  all  those  of  his  class, 
was  living,  to  the  knowledge  of  his  masters,  in  a  state 
of,  concubinage ;  finally,  in  order  to  get  the  assent  of 
father  Dagobert,  it  was  necessai^  to  resort  to  the  author- 
ity of  the  Governor." 

Father  Cirilo  next  complains  that  no  care  is  taken  to 
teach  and  propagate  the  Christian  doctrine.  He  enume- 
rates other  abuses  and  ecclesiastical  malfeasances,  and 
recommends  the  introduction  of  certain  reforms  and 
practices.  He  then  winds  up  saying:  "  On  reading  all 
this,  your  Grace  must  be  greatly  astonished  that  the 
Govenior  has  recommended  this  Father  Dagobert  to  be 
continued  one  year  in  office  as  vicar-gei  sral  of  this 
province,  and  still  more — that  I  should  have  joined  in 
that  recommendation,  although  I  must  confess  that  the 
Governor  had  told  mti  that  this  priest  wjis  excessively 
ignorant,  but  I  could  not  persuade  myself  that  it  was  to 
such  an  extent.  It  ijOw  appears  certain  to  me  that  his 
ignorance  is  sueli,  tLii.  he  is  incapable  of  being  trusted 
with  the  spiritual  go%  enunent  of  this  colony,  and  there- 
fore I  say  (and  I  am  supported  in  my  opinion  by  my 
companions,  by  the  most  respectable  people  in  this  pro- 
vince, and  by  the  colonel,  whose  understanding  is  of  the 
highest  order)  that  not  only  ought  father  Dagobert  to 
be  deprived  of  his  chai'ge,  but  that  he  ought  also  to  be 
expelled  from  the  colony,  to  be  punished  according  to 
his  deserts,  and  sentenced  to  a  proper  penance  for  his 
personal  faults  and  the  enormous  sins  which  he  has 
caused  some  of  his  flock  to  commit,  and  for  which  there 
are  the  gravest  reasons  to  believe  that  those  who  have 
died  are  now  in  hell.  ,., 

♦*Your  Grace,  knowing  so  well  the  good  nature  and 
the  pacific  dispositions  of  the  Governor,  will  easily  con- 
ceive how  it  is  that  he  is  desirous  of  giving  satis&e^on 


•KS'. 


# 


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THE  0LEB6T  OF  LOXTISIAIfA  IN  111% 


79 


M)  these  friara,  not  beoanse  he  is  not  fully  aware  of  their 
misdeeds,  not  because  he  does  not  see  that  there  is  no 
punishment  which  they  have  not  deserved,  and  that  it 
would  be  proper  to  drwe  them  out  of  the  Itmd^  as  him- 
self has  e3q)ressed  it  to  me,  but  because,  when  these  capu- 
chins knew  that  the  Spaniards  were  coming  up  the  river, 
they  stirred  up  the  town  and  persuaded  the  Governor 
that,  if  they  were  sent  away,  all  the  people  "  uld  also 
depart;  whereupon  that  officer  quieted  '  'ars  by 

telling  them  that  the  Spaniards  were  not  >  >  turn 

them  out  of  the  country.    But  your  Grac<  ■t  be- 

lieve in  the  general  emigration  with  which  v.  t-  arc  tiireat- 
ened.  It  would  be  confined  to  a  few  of  father  Dagobert's 
relations,  who  would  starve,  if  they  were  not  supported 
by  him.  This  father  Dagobert  has  promised  the  Gover- 
nor that  he  would  do  all  that  your  Grace  would  pre- 
scribe, and,  satisfied  with  this  pledge,  the  Governor  is 
willing  that  the  friar  should  remain  vicai^general  for  one 
year,  and  that  I  should  then  take  his  place.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  good  policy  that  he  who  has  done  so  much 
harm  should  be  the  person  to  repair  it.  But  how  can  it 
be  expected  from  one  who  is  not  only  evil  minded,  but 
who  is  also  strongly  suspected  of  some  Qrror  of  faith? 
With  regard  to  all  the  promises  which  he  has  ^ven  ta 
the  Governor,  I  know  that  he  has  not  kept  one ;  the 
Governor,  however,  with  his  usual  good  nature,  contents 
himself  with  saying  that  the  father  wiU  in  due  tune  re- 
deem his  pledges.  But  should  he  do  so,  he  would  have  i 
better  reasons  to  complain  of  his  being  deprived  of  the 
digm'ty  of  vicar-general,  and  should  he  remain  in  office, 
it  would  be  extremely  difficult  to  reconcy;e  to  such  a  dis- 
appointment those  who  imagine  that  they  will  soon  see 
him  dismissed,  not  only  .nil  the  Spaniards,  whor  would 
rejoice  at  such  an  event,  but  also  a  good  many  of  the 
Frene]bij4,ii?l|<ndready  perceive  the  difference  which  exists 


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THE  OLEBGY  OF  LOUISUKA  IN   111%. 


l>etweeii  us  and  those  priests.  The  motive  of  all  the 
delays  to  which  the  Governor  resorts  m — ^that  he  ho^)e8 
to  receive,  at  every  moment,  permission  to  ret^e  from  the 
colony,  and  he  thinks  that  if  he  were  once  out  of  the 
way,  we  and  the  Frendi  capuchins  wotdd  be  forced  to 
come  to  some  understanding.  But  may  it  please  ^d. 
that  this  Governor  do  not  depart  before  we  take  posses- 
sion of  the  church  here,  if  we  are  ever  destined  to  do  so, 
because  \fith  some  other  governor  (and  God  only  knotes 
what  his  turn  of  mind  may  be !)  we  ^ould  perhaps  be 
obliged  to  appeal  to  the  court — ^which  we  might,  without 
fear  of  trouble,  undertake  to  do  with  this  governor. 
The  language  which  I  speak  is  as  plain  as  it  is  weU  foun- 
ded, because,  on  my  meiitioning  to  the  Governor  what 
I  had  written^  and  on  my  telling  hun  that  I  reproached 
myself  with  having  consented  to  father  Dagobert's  being 
continued  in  the  office  of  vicar^eneral  for  another  yedjp, 
that  my  conscience  upbraided  me  for  having  acted  with 
such  kvity,  and  that  we  both  should  have  to  account  to 
God  for  the  sins  wMeh  we  had  permitted^  lie  approved 
me  in  everjrthing,  and  expressed  the  opinion  (which  is 
mine  also)  that  this  father  Dagobert  being  once  removed, 
the  evil  would  be  cut  by  the  root ;  and  this  said  Gover- 
nor has  also  confessed  to  me  that  he  would  petition  the 
court  for  the  removal  of  this  fiiar  I  r '.  ^  / 

''Under  such  circumstances,  J  would  advise  your 
Grace  ^ther  to  send  here  an  impartial  person  to  look 
^  into  the  state  of,  the  church,  or  to  jnlxiist  me  with  a^ 
the  necessary  powers  to  go  through  the  work  of  reform ; 
JfeTy  when  onee  in  possdssioii  ctf^&fi,XjcM?d?8  vineyard^  I, 
shall  not  lose  siglit  of  my  o]»%atioB  to  lab<»r  therein  as 
I  ought,  and  IshaU  act  aiseo^dmgly,  mtd.  im  emforntity 
with  the  sentim^vof  Bt.  Mairtin  asd  8&  Paul  who  sud<: 
''  ^i  tk^  feao'sdno  eP0atedih/i»gffwt<4eai^  nor  cmy  ^ 
ooBtera^    With  the  informatioii  which  I  have  hud  before 


■Ft. 


0 


« 


TttB  CLJBltGT  OF  LOUISIAKA  IN   1771 


81 


your  Grace,  it  fe  in  ycrai*  Grace's  power  to  judge  of  the 
extent  of  the  work  td  be  done.  What  is  c^ain  is  that 
I  cannot  believe  that  father  Bagobert  is  to  remain 
vica^genetal. 

**'I  feel  mnch  compnnction  at  having  been  obKged  to 
make  yotut^  Grace  acquainted  with  the  faults  of  thes^^ 
bad  men,  which  I  would  have  kept  from  your  know^ 
ledge,  if  my  motivb  in  disclosing  them  had  not  been  the 
glorification  of  God.  I  cim  safely  alHhn  that  father 
Ddgobert  wiU  not  perforin  any  of  the  things  which  he 
has  promised  to  do,  nor  will  remedy  any  of  the  existing 
evils.  Thus,  on  my  having  inquired  why  he  did  not 
reconmiend  t6  th6  pubKc  the  observance  of  such  holy- 
da,ys  as  were  celebrated  in  Spain,  he  answered  me,  in  the 
presence  Of  many  witnesses,  that  it  wa^  beoaiiibe  he  did^ 
not  choose  to  do  so,  that  no  one  had  the  r^t  to  give' 
him  orden^,  and  Unit  nothing  should  be  done  in  thej 
c61ony  exeept  according  to  his  will  From  this  you  may 
judge  whether  We  oould  fwd  justified  in  entertaining 
any  hope  of  (Operating  the -il^htest  salutary  reform.  I 
have  not  failed  to  throw  out  a  gocyd  mimy  iiisinnai^ons 
to  these  priests,  but  their  imiform  answer  is:  tliat  they 
(we  M  Spofifdin^  and  tha^  besides  our  mere  aasertioa^* 
thejr  have  no  othcar  pi\x>f  that  your  Grace  is  the  bishop 
of  l^is  diocese.  It  must  jl^e  confessed  thitt'  tlie^^  have 
some  grounds  fas  t!ik  es^onlEiei  beeoaia^  the  Cbvernpr  has 
thought  propier  to  keep  in  his  possession  the  lei&r  in 
T7hieh^yei|iFGf»eemvefirted  me  wdth  all i^e  powers  which 
you  had  giyexe  to  fft^er  AngeL  I  have  rance^hi^d  no 
f^h^  fid^  til  th^  lieti^r^^i^ 
GovFeroidr  has  m^'  6oiiKtnttnk»te^^  eoiitenli  to  ihese 
Bfl^rs,  beeaoae  thiB|^  «8:^as  th^  V^rie  belbre,  and  tiie 

fied:  #ith  being  Wiclfikl^hemse  they  atsp 

wish  ti»  to  folk^  iSiciHetfliBlj^  fsfM 


6 

m 


■m 


^ 


Mi    * 


M 


% 


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t 


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1 


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«« 


THE  OLEBaY  OF  LOUISIANA  IN    WtS. 


fasting  and  observing  the  holydays.  As  an  excuse  for 
their  doings,  they  say  that  they  are  not  Spaniards.  1 
entreat  you,  whenever  you  have  any  orders  to  give  which 
you  wish  to  be  executed,  to  send  them  directly  to  me. 
I  can  assure  your  Grace  that  they  spare  no  efforts  to  make 
me  like  one  of  them,  and  to  induce  me  to  wear  a  shirt 
and  stockings,  and  to  become  as  lax  in  my  morals  and 
habits  as  they  are.  They  think  that,  if  they  could 
seduce  me,  they  would  have  no  trouble  with  my  com- 
panions. But  having  voluntarily  assumed  the  heavy 
burden  of  a  Capuchin's  life,  and,  by  leaving  my  country, 
having  thrown  myself  into  purgatory  although  still  in 
this  world,  I  will  tax  myself  to  the  utmost  to  be  true  to 
the  position  in  which  I  have  placed  myself,  and  to  dis- 
cord the  world  and  its  allurements,  in  order  not  to  lose 
the  merits  of  all  my  sacrifices  by  following  the  example 
of  these  priests  (which  God  forbid  I).  On  the  contrary, 
I  hope  that  He  may  give  me  the  power  to  reform  them, 
to  make  them  conscious  of  thfe  wickedness  of  their  life, 
and  to  induce  them  to  purify  themselves-  by  prayer^ 
prayer ! — ^which  is  the  soul  of  the  priesthood.* 

"  It  is  said  that  these  priests  have  secreted  afi  the* 
silver  plat«  and  money  which  they  possess.  Tim  is 
very  bad,  bu^  very  little  importance  to  us  who  know 
that,  with  thv  -olp  of  the  king  and  of  God^  we  stall 
never  be  wanting  in  any  thing,  and  shaiH  have  bread 
enough  to  live.  I  hope  that  your  Grace  will  soon  a#0rd 
some  consolation  to  the  Spaniards,  and  that  you  will  not 
oblige  us  to  remain  subjected  to  an  unworthy  Suji^iioJi*' 
In  thus  hoping,  I  rely  on  God,  whOj  in  every  thiiig,  has 
so  far  gmded  your  Grace  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  ikll 
your  acts  redound  to  1^  greater  glory,  Ac.,  &c.  I  hope 
that  He  will  fill  your  breast  with  His  grace,  so  as  to 

*  Qa«  el  la  aliDA  06  los  aao«rdo(ML 


■'0, 


'4^ 


w 


TK£  OtEBOT  OF  TjOXmiiStA  tS  hl2. 


enable  yon  to  help  and  direct  ns  in  weisding  His  ^dne- 
yai-d  ite^,  lirhich  reqmres  more  labor  than  if  it  was  to 
be  planted  for  the  first  time,"  <fec.,  Ac.  * 

On  the  14th  of  S^pt^mber  (1773),  father  Di^bert 
wrote  to  the  Bififhop  to  thank  hid  Grace  for  haying  ap- 
pointed him  his  Yicar^eneral,  a  dignity  which  had  b^en 
akea^  conferred  npon  him  by  the  Bishop  of  Qiiebec, 
when  Lonisiftna  formed  a  part  of  that  diocese.  Father 
Dagobert  gives  to  the  Spanish  bishop  an  accomit  of  his 
ecclesiastical  administration,  enomerates  ihe  refoms 
which  it  rei[][nires,  and,  with  great  hnmility,  expresses 
his  anxions  wish  to  be  guided  by  the  superior  wisdom 
of  his  a|)ostolic  chiefs  whose  orders  he  declares  himself 
ready  to  execute  to  the  very  letter*  Father  Dagobert's 
communication  to  the  Bishop  is  written  with  great  pro- 
priety, with  dignified  subordination  and  Ohristitm  meek- 
ness, and  is  not  snch  a  doctunent  as  Could  bie  expected 
from  the  individual  described  by  fSEither  Girilo.    ^ 

On  the  26th  of  the  same  month,  GK)vemor  XJnzaga 
wi*ote  to  the  bishop  a  dei^tch  in  which  he  denounced 
the  con^iracy  which  had  been  formed  hf  aofne  tmquiet 
spmi3  against  the  poor  Wrench  ogipmhim^^  mhom  ihxy 
wi^yed  to  he  denied  jv^  vd  infusti,  *'  It  has  restilted 
from  thi3  persinition,"  said  he,  '^that  ikther  Di^bert, 
Who  does  not  know  wh%t  it  is  to  complain,  sjpoke  of 
retiring  to  France  with  his  compllniopii.  At  first  I  could 
not  understand  what  was  the  cause  of  t^  resoliition, 
as  I  attahfoted  it  to  his  fear  of  the  discipline  wMeh  yOnr 
Girace  mig^t  estabHsh.  Bnt^  when  I  was  infi^rtned'  of 
the  true  state  of  things,  I  sent  ^t  him  and  tdid^hun  to 
remain  qni^  atid  that  yoiuf  Grace  wmild  giv«  hhn  iWliis- 
^^<m.  He  le^owed  hknself  contented  m^  i^  aa^ui^ 
ance ;  and  pronined  tha$,  1^^         your  or^N^  m^t 

f^bHhcE^dN^^  a£id,^ 
^  to  iiffiird  l^«»n^  r^ief 


be,  they  trooH'be 
in  the  meofltee,  he 


# 


w 


^*. 


■#*" 


.    ♦ 


* 


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m 

mm 


4^ 


84 


tAe  OLBBOT  of  LOmBIAWA  DT  lUi. 


'  'p 


Mm,  AS  Ije  was  in  the  habit  of  doing  every  tlay.  Thus 
matters  stand,  and  I  have  left  them,  on  ftcconht  of  their 
eccdesidfftical  patnre,  to  the  jnd^ent  6f  yoUr  Gracd,  in 
order  ^hat  yoBr  Grace  may  settle  them  ndth  that  pru- 
dence of  which  so  ma»y  proofe  have  already  been  ^veu^. 

Of  this  quality  father  Oirilot  does  not  pos^esar  one  par-f 
_^i^lew.  ■■  r^vvy      ^  ..^'^^v,;,^Mi^:^v•-,■.^,^V':-■ 

The  whole  letter  of  the  Governor  seems  to  be  written 
in  exculpation  of  father  Dagobert,  and  of  the  other 
French  capuchins.  "I  heartily  approve,^  said  he  to  the 
bishop,  "some  of  the  instructions  whi<^  you  have  given, 
and  which  are  such  as  to  secure  the  righls  and  interests 
of  the  king,  and  the  object  of  which  is  to  retam  his  sub* 
jects  under  his  rule  by  v'».onfonning  as  miich  as  possible 
with  their  genius,  their  character,  and  mannere.  This  is' 
what  I  caU  acting  in  accordance  with  the  Spirit  of  the 
apostolic  mission ;  this  is  voluntarily  making  one*8  self 
the  servant  o^  aU  m  order  to  gain  wwmy,  and  working 
fOT  the  swjvioe  off  Qt>d  by  assuming  the  garb  of  the  Jew 
among  the  Jews,  of  the  pagan  among  the  pagans,  and  by 
shaiing  even  in  theanfirinities  of  the  sick.  On  the  whole, 
I  refer  myself  to  what  I  haFe  previously  comniunicated 
to  your  Grace,  and  from  which  your  Grtfce  will  no^  doubt 
infer  that  many  of  the  synodical  rej^ations  canUot  be 
aj^lied  to  this  province  without  injuiy  to  the  interests 
(^  the  king,  the  number  of  whose  vk^als  might  Jb^dimi^ 
niihed-QQ^derftbly^  if  those  K^5uktiolis^fef6lt1^empted 
to  b^rcanisd  into  iexeou^on, 'and  y(jfir  Grace  Mil  easily 
und<!l»twwi  thfl*  it  is  n#  alm^^^that  the  laws  hiiEide  fd^  ^ 
on0  tPfgicm  j^  Jbe  811^  to  Miother.**'  TBii 

deemni^  is  xs«a?taii%  a  ^^>e<aMifen  idf  lifee  Spam^ 
g^swf^oi^  prud^neeitoad  Kbe^^ 

MofT^iiitensity 


0 


w 


t 


THS  OLEBGY  OF  LOUIBIAKA  JS  Vtli. 


85 


it8(  own  brooclmgs,  wrote  two  letters  to  the  Bishop^  and 
brought  with  additional  vehemence  fresh^  accnsatiops 
against  the,  friarsy  whom  he  represented  as  the  iqost 
abandoned  of  aU  hnman  beingi».  Those  letters^  in  some 
of  their  parts,  are  very  mnoh  in  the  style*  of  certain  pas- 
sage in  Juvenal  a^d  Suetonius,  which  are  hardly  com- 
patible with  the  chastity  of  modem  languages.  The  oft 
repeated  burden  of  all  of  father  CiriWs  communications 
was  his  professed  willingness,  in  all  hnmOity,  and  for  the 
greater  glory  of  God,  with  the  Bishop'ig  o(»ui»nt^  and  on 
his  being  invested  with  fiiU  powers^  to  undertake  the 
uQgradous  and  painful  task  of  reforming  all  iAid  abuses 
which  he  described,  and  reprobated  with  such  iBdefatii> 
gable  zeal. 

The  quarrel  of  these  priests  was  far  &om  bdng  settled 
in  1778,  and  on  the  10th  of  July^  Governor  Un^aga  wrote 
as  follows  to  the  Bishop:  >^  cannot  understand <wh»t 
grounds  father  Oirilo  can  have  to  rest  his  'complaints^ 
upon;  andy  had  not  your  Grace  i^ormedvmeMth^fc  jhe^' 
complains,  I  could  not  have  believed  it  pos^l^l^tevhe 
and  father  Dagobert  appear  now  to^^ee  very-weU  atid 
to  move  ii^  concert  in  everything  they  doi^^With  r^aa^ 
to  father  l)«igobert*s  all^d  infraction  of  y^iir<^er8^4t' 
is  tnte  vthikt  he  has  nptas  yet  executed  th^m  ail^  ija  aU 
their  paarts,  particularly  in  ]^ation4o  your  oomBtandto- 
e^^  Irom^e  convent  1^  bla4$kk?vioin€jnai^injt^:  longer 
to  dispense  w^  the  required  pul^ 
bi^on  of  maig^iages.    But  I  never  d«»ubteid  ihis^^BiplbgK 
ness  $oon  to  obey  your  Grace  in  these  aiatter8^0id^<th^^ 
foi«  tjdlt  no  li0iatati<»i}in  gi#Bg^^l^ 
to  ImM'^  the  necessary  fortlt^  to  tecrwN^ntt^ 
a  fi^ti^f, people  wh<^^  he  has  raised  Akidli^^        Md»^^ 
froin^  the  #^i#^  101^^1  ^^M|^^^ 


■^ 


■^ 


^ 


,  •       -#•  .* 


.*i' 


M 


■* 


TSB  OLESGY  OF  LOUISUNA  IN   1771. 


t' 


practices,  usages  and  castoms,  and  if  you  knew  the  indi- 
vidual)  you  would  see  clearly  that  the  oniissiou  on  his 
part  to  which  your  attention  has  been  called,  has  not 
been  the  result  of  obstinacy  but  of  simpHsity.  After  all, 
the  black  women  ai'e  now  kept  on  the  plantation  of  the 
fathers  during  the  day,  and  the  dispensations  as  to  mai\ 
riages  are  no  longer  granted. 

*;  In  one  of  youjr  letters,  you  communicate  to  me  the 
complaints  of  the  fathers  as  to  the  deportment  of  father 
Hilaire  de  Genoveaux.  In  one  of  my  previous  despatches, 
I  made  you  acquainted  with  the  character  of  this  friar, 
and  with  the  cause  of  his  expulsion  from  the  colony  when 
under  the  French  domination.  I  haye  also  mentioned 
his  talents  to  your  Grace  with  the  commendation  they 
deserve,  and  I  have  stated  that  he  was  entitled  to  justice 
at  our  hands.  On  his  solicitations,  the  king  permitted 
him  to  come  here  in  order  that' he  might  proceed,  in  con- 
cert with  the  authorities,  to  an  examination  of  his  case 
and  of  the  violence  which  he  said  was  used  .towards  him 
by  the  Superior  Council  of  the  late  French  colony,  which 
not  only  expelled  him  without  cause  from  the  province, 
but  also  deprived  him  of  the  ecclesiastical  dignity  with 
which  he  was  dothed.  I  therefore  took  cognizance  of 
this  af&ir,  gathered  all  the  documents  relating  thereto,  ■ 
and  referred  the  case  to  the  king,  who  is  the  only  com- 
petent authority  to  decide  on  its  merits.  I  did  not  neg- 
lect at  the  same  time  to  acquaint  your  Grace  with  all  its 
circumstances,  The  royal  decision  has  not  y^t  been 
received,  and  I  shall  wait  for  it.  For  this  r^on,  an^ 
bepanse  I  consider  a&  slanderous  the  denunciations  sui> 
mitted  t&  your  Grace  against  tjiis  friar,  I  have  abstained  ^ 
fr*om  interfering  with  hii?u  It  Js  t-ru«  t}iat,  at  firs^,  he 
joined  the  Spamah  friars  against  fathev  Bagobert.  But, 
for  the  preseiit^  he  keeps  aloof  from  bo^  parties  luid 
remains  quiet  in  his  chamberf  where_ he.devoties  Hpself 


« 


\ 


^^• 


jofidefa^ 


« 


#■■;' 


THB  OLEBGT  OF  LOUISIANA  W  17f8. 


87 


entirely  to  study,  in  the  silence  of  solitude.  I  repeat  that 
he  is  a  good  man,  and  that  his  talents  m^e  him  very 
usefbl  to  the  ehnrch,  although  his  pride  disqualifies  him 
for  the  position  of  a  chief  or  superior.  Finally,  you  will  " 
think  as  you  please  on  the  subject,  but  with  regard  to 
myself,  I  know  how  difficult  it  is  to  come  to  a  correct 
appreciation  of  the  true  merits  of  men  of  that  sacred 
caUing,  when  they  choose  to  quarrel  among  themselves. 

"In  your  last  communication^  you  said  that  you  were 
informed  that  each  of  the  French  capuchins  had  received 
one  thousand  dollars  for  his  share  of  the  perquisites  cot 
lected  during  the  year  for  the  funeral  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies  only,  and  that  father  Dagobert  made  light  of  the 
bull  of  the  Santa  Oruzada.  Both  assertions  are  false. 
The  first  will  provoke  a  smile,  and  the  second,  a  sorrow- 
ful indignation.  How  is  it  possible  not  to  laugh  at  the 
impudence  of  the  first  assertion,,  when  it  is  known  tb^t 
there  is  not  in  New  Orleans  and  its  environs  a  population 
of  two  thousand  spuls  of  all  professions  and  conditions ; 
and  the  greater  portion  of  those  people  are  so  poor  that, 
when  they  die,  they  are  buried  with  no  other  charges  or 
expenses  ^an  four  reat'  paid  to  the  man  who  goes  to 
the  graveyard  to  give  then  i  sepulture.  The  origin  of  the 
extraordinary  information  sent  to  your  Grace  proceeds 
no  doubt  from  the  fact  that  this  capital  has  suffered 
greatly  from  the  small  pox,  and  that  there  hate  been  a  ^ 
great  many  deaths ;  but  many  of  the  dead  were  black 
and  white  child]*en,  whose  parents  were  too  poor  to  pay  r^ 
at^  funeral  duirges. 

**AIL  that  I  could  learn  concerning  the  alleged  con- 
tempt of  father  Bagobert  for  the  bull  lot  \h».  SarUa 
GruiXida*  is  t)iAt,  in  conversation,  he  said  tl^t  it  was 

J^  .Ili«  prioutMre  objtMt  of  the  BoUof  the  Sknte  OpaaAimMio  granu  indul 
gMiees  fo  AllSpAfaiarda  fihat^i^iild  «tigi^iipe(l»n»liy1ii  vising  war  •(^aatthe  ^^ 
infidelti  o»  wwiribiDte^'Wl^^i^^   Tl;*  pHoeWil^  BdU  wm  fixed  afr  81  c^Mr<# 


#' 


%: 


%. 


m 


w 


I.L.  ■ 


d8 


TBB  OLKBOT  OF  LOUISIANA  Uf  lilt. 


unknown  in  France,  and  that  in  the  Indies  it  was  valuiu 
ble  only  on  account  of  the  graces  and  privileges  attached 
to  it,  <fec.  i&e.  I  have  conveyed  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
'*  king  that  it  is  obnoxious  to  his  subjects  in  this  province,^ 
that  all  means  of  persuasion  are  vain  to  reconcUe  them  to 
it ;  that  they  consider  it  as  a  tribute  paid  to  the  clergy^} 
that  they  look  upon  it  with  horror,  and  that  they  would 
prefer  to  it  any  other  tax  or  exaction.  As  the  royal 
intentions  of  his  Majesty  are  that  nothing  be  done  which 
may  be  calculated  to  breed  discontent  among  his  subjects, 
I  mention  this  fact  to  your  Grace  that  you  may  govern 
youraelf  accordingly." 

This  letter  offended  the  Bishop,  and  called  for  the  £:>1< 
lowing  explanatory  one  which  Governor  Unzaga  wrote  t6 
him  on  the  12th  of  September,  1773  :  "Most  excellent 
sh',  you  inform  me  that  the  expressions,  /  well  know 
Iww  difficult  it  is  to  come  to  a  correct  a^predoMorh  of  ths 
true  merits  of  msn  of  that  sacred  caOmg^  when  they 
choose  to  qua/rrel  a/numg  themsdves^  had.  caused  you  to 
look  into  all  the  correspondence  which  lay  before  you, 
and  that  you  could  find  nothing  in  it  that  could  justify 
the  language  which  I  have  used.  You  conclude  with 
saying  that  you  have  submitted  the  whole  of  it  to  the 
king,  and  that  you  are  awaiting  the  decision  of  his  royal 
wisdom.  As  I  naturally  suppose  that  you  have  also 
submitted  all  my  letters  to  lus  Majesty,  I  have  nothing 
to  add  on  this  controversy  j  because  the  exquisitely 
sagacious  judgment  with.which  he  is  gifbed  will  decide 
every  thing  according  to  the  best  interests  of  his  royal 
s^rvitijje,  ;  I  will  ^erely  observe  that  Ida  not  conceive 


to%  or  14  to  15  ofints.  Ko  oat1ioli«,  iidubHiiig  Spftio,  eoald  abstain  li!aiu<;po>- 
diaaing  this  Bull,  without  ex^pung  l)i»  orthodoxy  to  raspidon.  When  proTid«d 
with  tfais  BoH,  he  ^had,  lunong  other  privilegp*  that  of  eating  fleah,  with  tlM  eoiAv 
ms^  of  hie  phjaiciaa  and  eenfee^or^iand  alio  ef  ^qjdiig  agge  i»d  aSO^  dpv4*jni^ 
Ibft.apd  during  iicnoLt.    V 


■•4 


I 


'^ 


TBB  CLZBOT  OV  LOUIBIAlfA  IK   1778. 


89 


Inhere  yon  liavc  seen  in  any  part  of  my  correspondence 
that  I  LavB,  as  you  say,  characterused  an  barbarooB  the 
If^goage  of  the  Spanish  Capnchinsy  and  mnoh  less  that  I 
have  c^^  tiiis  colony  a  French  province^  in  violation 
of  the  oath  of  allegiance  which  the  colonists  hare  sworn 
to  their  new  prince,  who  is  as  celebrated  for  his  eqnity 
as  for  the  goodness  of  his  heart    It  is  to  be  regretted, 
most  excellent  sir,  that  words  do  not  bear  the  stamp  of 
the  sonl  of  him  who  nses  them.    There  would  not*  be  so 
many  misconceptions  in  this  world.    God  knows  that 
my  heart  loves  your  Grace  most  tenderly,  that  my  hands 
press  without  distrust  the  genetous  ones  of  a  prelate, 
who  has  long  ago  honored  me  with  his  friendship,  and 
that  I  would  lay  down  my  life  to  wipe  off  the  expressions 
which  hfjji^e  mortified  your  Grace.    Tutn  them  ov«t  and 
over,  on  every  side,  and  you  will  see  that  they  are  appli- 
cable only  to  the  Friars  and  tq  their  disputes*    I  so 
expressed  myself  for  the  discharge  of  my  conscience  f 
and,  doubting  my  ability  to  act  satisfisictorily  in  the 
premises,  I  referred  all  deciuon  thereon  to  your  Gracej 
i\a  the  only  competent  judge*    I  entreat  your  Grace  to 
consider  those  expressions  as  having  b^n^ctatedbyaii^ 
honorable  delicacy  of  feelings,  imdnotHso  Iciok  xipon> 
them  as  the  inspirations  of  a  sentiment  of  irritatbn 
which  is  foreign  to  my  character  and -incompatible^  withv 
my  official  position.    It  seems  to  me  t^t  ^e  oomnaotf 
lot  of  human  nature  is  for  eaoh  one  to^judgie  for  himiB^> 
and'  act  for  the  best  ■  If  we  do  not  agree  kr  the  meanis 
to.  be  employed,  let  us  abide  by  the  ddoisi^  o£  our 
sovereign  master^  who,  besideB  bAiy  adimirtieii^ with  ■the' 
tenderest  love  for  his  subj^ctB,  posseBsesvamiind  oSitimh 
sanity  that  he  soon   discoveni^whiNt  lithekr  fw^WasiH' 
reqidffesi    In  alt  this  I  do  net  see  an^r  eadiie  of  cqicK^ia^ 
%  eiUh'B^  iji(  US)  at  iea$t  wfi^':m^wis^l^^^s^ 


¥: 


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agMK 


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CLEROT  OF  LOUISIANA  IN   lilt. 


m 


m 


over  any  body.  My  interest,  in  all  this  affair,  is  to  re- 
ceive with  due  veneration  the  manifestations  of  the  royal 
intentions,  and  to  comply  with  them  in  every  point.  As 
fKK>n  as  they  shall  be  made  known  to  me,  I  will  execute 
them  strictly,  according  to  my  habit." 
i  The  bishop  of  Havana,  not  satisfied  with  the  indiffer- 
ence which  he  thought  that  Unzaga  had  manifested  in 
this  religious  controversy,  had  applied  to  the  Marquis 
de  la  Torre,  governor  and  captain  general  of  the  island 
of  Cuba,  and  had  requested  him  to  stimulate  what  he 
called  the  indolence  of  the  Governor  of  Louisiana.  In 
reply  to  a  communication  from  La  Ton  e  on  this  subject, 
Unzaga  wrote  a  long  despatch  reciting  to  the  Captain 
General  the  causes  of  all  these  religious  difficulties  which, 
alter  all,  consisted  in  a  mere  struggle  for  powor  among 
those  priests,  in  which  the  interests  of  the  king  were  not 
implicated  in  the  slightest  degree.  He  evidently  sided 
with  the  French  Capuchins,  in  whose  favor  he  showed 
^,-  that  his  feelings  were  enlisted,  and  whom  Jie  defended 
against  most  of  the  accusations  brought  against  them. 
He  represented  the  Spanish  Capuchins  as  being  fiilly  as 
ignorant  as  the  French,  and  indeed  it  is  impossible  to 
read  all  he  says,  without  coming  to  the  conclusion  that 
both  the  French  and  Spanish  clergy  in  Louisiana,  at  the 
time,  were  not  altogether  worthy  of  their  sacred  mission. 
"  I  know  the  extent  of  the  evil,"  said  he,  "  but  I  believe 
that  the  application  of  the  remedy  is  not  in  my  power. 
To  whichever  side  I  might  incUne,  I  discover  a  shoal 
which  prevents  me  from  acting  with  the  activity  and 
firmness  which  I  might  otherwise  exhibit.  If,  doing 
violence  to  my  conscience  and  honor,  I  supported  father 
Cirilo,  it  would  be  securing  the  triumph  of  artifice  and 
malignity,  and  oppressing  mnoeen^e.  Were  I  to  fovor 
the  other  sidef  I  'sfaotdd  be  obliged  to  remove  father 
Cirilo  to  the  remotest  p^rt  of  the  province,  and  his 


m 


"^' 


*  A 


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4. 


Jt. 


*t- 


TUB  OLEBaT  OF  L0UI8IAKA  IN   ItfS. 


01 


Graoo,  the  bishop,  might  persuade  himself  that  I  deprive 
him  of  his  man,  and  that  I  oppose  his  designs,  whilst  my 
most  earnest  wish  is  to  execute  them,  provided  they  do 
not  conflict  with  the  interests  of  the  king,  and  have  not 
the  tendency  to  cause  the  province  to  lose  the  little  « 
which  has  remained  of  its  former  population.  It  would 
give  muoh  satisfaction,  if  his  Grace  wonld  pay  a  visit  to 
this  colony  to  become  acquainted  with  his  flock  and  with 
the  true  state  of  things.  He  would  soon  be  undeceived 
on  many  pomts,  and  perhaps  would  reform  certain 
abuses.  The  people  here  will  remain  quiet  as  long  as 
they  are  gently  treated;  but  the  use  of  the  rod  would 
produce  confusion  and  ruin.  Tueir  dispositions  are  the 
result  of  the  happy  state  of  liberty  to  which  they  have 
been  accustomed  from  the  cradle,  and  in  which  they 
ought  t<o  be  maintained,  so  far  as  is  consistent  with  the 
laws  of  the  kingdom.'' 

Unza^^n,  after  having  written  this  reply  murked  with 
so  much  independence  and  liberality  to  l^e  Marquis  de      . 
la  Torre,  addressed,  on  the  same  day,  an  elaborate  de-     11^ 
fence  of  the  course  he  had  pursued  to  the  b<41iff  de 
Arriaga,  one  of  the  king's  minis!  ;i>.     In  this  commuui 
cation  he  does  not  spare  the  Bishop,  whom  he  accuses  of 
an  indiscreet  severity  which  would, have  dep^tpulated 
the  colony,  if  he  had,  as  governor,  carried  his  Grace's 
pastoral  instructions  into  execution.    *^  The  first  docu-      ;^  • 
ment  by  which,"  said  he,  "  the  new  prelate  made  him- 
self known  to  the  French  Friars  was  a  tissue  of  phrases,    # 
in  which  he  reproached  them  with  having,  committed 
crimes.    What  must  have  been  their  feelu^  towards 
him  when  they  received  such  a  mtiiufesto  against  their 
deportment,  and  particularly  when  they  saw  themselves 
upbraided  for  so  many  acts  of  a  heinous  character,  which     ^ 
wei«  sheer  ealumnies !    With  regard  to  the  people,  they 
fonnd  themselves  threatened  with  exconmninication  if 


II: 


:f- 


# 


■$1 


mm 


At 


^:f 


92 


IUHE  CLEBaY  OP  LOUISIANA  IN    lilt. 


they  did  not  receive  tlie  sacrament  at  Easter,  and  tliey 
had  to  fear,  as  consequences  of  their  refusal,  to  he  sttb- 
jected  to  temporal  punishments,  such  as  imprisonmentj 
confiscation,  and  even  the  application  of  the  diwapline 

1^  of  the  holy  office  of  the  Inquisition,  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  which  they  were  not  bom,  and  to  which  thejr 
are  hot  accustomed.  It  was  easy  for  me  to  foresee, 
that  if  the  French  Capuchins  became  disgusted  with 
their  new  position,  they  woiild  soon  take  refuge  on 
some  English  vessel  and  be  followed  by  a  large  por-' 
tion  of  the  population;  and,  that  should  any  body 
be  excomr'unicated  for  not  complying  with  the  ^rrecept 
to  take  annually  the  sacrament  at  Easter,  the  same 
i-esults  would  ensue ;  because  the  people  would  run  away 
from  the  ecclesiastical  rod,  for  which  they  have  no' relish. 
"  One  of  the  chief  revenue-s  of  the  clergy  here  had  been 
the  granting  of  dispensations,  which  the  Bishop  now 
reserves  to  himself.  <  But  if  the  heart  were  to  draw 

^  within  itself  all  the  blood  which  runs  through  the  differ- 

^   ent  parts  of  the  human  body,  those  parts  would  wither 
from  want  of  nutrition.    How  comes  then  the  Bishop  of 
Cuba,  who  says  that  he  is  not  sparing  of  communicating 
to  his  subordinates  the  powers  he  possesseSj  to  retain  in 
this  case  the  most  valuable  ?    And  through  what  means 
does  he  expect  the  members  of  his  diocese  to  subsist^ 
except  they  should  be  reduced  to  a  state  of  spirituality 
and  be  above  the  wants  of  mortality  I       ^ 
^      "  How  can  he  pretend  to  be  sieving  1^  Mng,  h»  who, 
a)l  the  while,  is  stirringup  with  a  firebrand  the  patience 
of  his  mtgesty's  vassals  ?    H4  addresses  th«n  in  a  stiirly^ 
ton^  and  deprives  them  of  their  perquisites  on  there^ 
day  that  he  make?  himself  known  to  them  I    I  ccmfess 
that  there  are  in  the  provBiee  abuses  which  mnst^be  ieof< 
rected,  although  I  deny  the  excesses  in  the  existence  of 

.      which  his  Gh-aoe  believes,  beciiuse  he  is  incorrectly  im^ 


* 


m 


♦  '# 


0 


^^ 


THE  CtERGT  OF  LOTTfiiliKA  IN  1778. 


n 


m. 


farmed.  Ghimting  tlie  disesise  with  which  the  colony  is 
afflicted,  it  fU^^s  only  that  she  wants  the  attendance  of 
a  physician*--^alid  the  tender  nursing  of  a  pastor — a  wise 
physician  who  wiU  graduate  the  doses  of  his  treatment 
in  accordanct^  with  tibe  tem^rament  of  the  patient — and 
aberieVolent  pastor  who  will  conceal  the  rod  and  the 
shears.  :;v  ^' 

"I  had  offeW)d  my  services  to  Ms  Grace  from  the  be- 
ginni%;bntj  far  from  adopting  my  views,  which  were 
such  as  to  favor  the  interests  of  the  king,  without  inters 
fering  with  the  real  substance  of  rdigion,  he  agreed  with 
me  on  trifles  mid  disregarded  my  opinion  on  all  matters 
of  importance.  Hetice  the  discord  which  is  complained 
of.  In  order  to  appease  the  disorder,  I  used  the  authority 
with  wMch  Our  pious  king  has  inve^ed  me,  with  su^h 
measure  and  J)ropriety  as  to  prevent  the  public  tranquil^ 
lity  from  being  disturbed.  But  to  those  who  had  be^ir 
injured  by  a  wrong  beginning  contentment  was  not  re- 
stored.      ' 

**  Although  I  &m.  aware  of  the  importance  of  repressing 
abuses,  and  Of  establishing  good  habits,  because  they 
originate  good  laws  and  secure- their  execution,  yet 
I  milst  affii'm  |^hat  there  is  here  no  such  moral  deformity 
as  has  been  depicted  to  his  Grace,  none  which  threatens 
society  with  the  slightest  damage^  and  wMeh  coidd  tend 
to  a  breach  in  th^,  observance  of  th<^  duties  that  ^Euthfri] 
subjects  have  to  discharge  towards  Iheir  prince.  Why 
th^n  all  this  idamor  and  outory^  Why  this  angf^^v? 
Why  this  furiotiisi 'Persecution^  which  is  capable  of  ronning 
intd^  resistance  submission  itself  ? 

**  Ihave  acted  according  tp  the  rnles  of  .s^^ 
when  I  have  refiflsed  tov  lay  a  heavy^^hanc^ on! man^ 
abuser  whioh,  if  they  to^  jmjKh/.ia  the^  ^^  slaekt 

disci{)Hne  of  the  chnreh^  e^not  be  helciPo  have  that 
character  with  regard  to  so^ety  or  tihe^^l^y  politic,  ov 

m 


.'!?S 


t 


^ 


:^ 


%?^ 


* 


■^p 


•M' 


94   UNZAOA's  despatch  OS  the  QUAKHICLS  OS"  THE  aLEBGT. 

which  deserve  at  least  no  other  than  clericdi  punishment 
or  repression.  "What  is  it  to  the  king,  for  instaiice; 
whether  the  French  Capuchins  consider  the  teal  as 
amphibious  and  eat  it  on  fast  days,  and  follow  other 
practices  quite  as  insignificant,  and  which,  through 
immemorial  custom,  have  been  thought  to  be  legitimate 
among  these  people?  There  were  more  important 
abuses  to  which  I  called  their  attention,  and  which  I 
have  been  the  first  to  denounce.  I  hive  corrected  them 
through  the  gentle  means  of  persuasion,  and  I  have  6b-^ 
tained  most  excellent  results  without  noise  and  scandal, 
by  merely  employing  the  powerful  weapon  of  ridicule, 
and  by  clothing  with  rags  what  I  wished  to  make  con- 
temptible.* 

"Nevertheless  his  Grace,  resenting  the  information  I 
have  laid  before  the  Governor  of  Cuba,  puts  himself  in 
motion  against  me,  takes  up  offensive  weapons,  attacks 
me  on  certain  expressions  to  which  he  has  ^ven  a  mean- 
ing for  which  I  am  at  a  loss  to  account,,  goes  into  a 
critical  examination  of  my  correspondence,  and,  in  order 
to  shelter  himself,  endeavors  to  prepossess  the  judgment 
of  your  Excellency,  and  to  enlist  in  favor  of  his  acts  the 
piety  of  his  Majesty." 

The  Governor  proceeds  to  a  review  of  all  the  Bishop's 
acts,  which  he  represents  as  impolitic  and  unnecessarily 
severe,  and  hints  that  he  might  have  good  grounds  to 
consider  himself  insulted  by  the  Bishop,  who  chose  to 
disregard  his  representations  as  untrue,  and  to  believe 
other  individuals  les&  entitled  than  he  is  to  credit  aiid 
respect.  "The  people  here,"  said  he,  *^ are  neither 
vicious  nor  addicted  to  debauchery,  lior  opposed  to  our 
habits,  although,  in  many  respects,  those  habits  disagree 
with  their  ttJItes.    They  have  some  of  their  own,  as 


RidicnllzaificloIoB  y  visUendo  los  de  sndrftgot. 


^k. 


# 


* 


# 


XmZkCkJiB  DESPATCH  OK  THE  QUABEELB  OF  THE  CLEBQT.  95 

other  people  have,  to  wWcli  they  are  madi  attached — 
and  this  is  very  natural  Those  habits  are  not  m  con- 
flict with  the  primordial  obligations  of  society;  they 
are  not  to  be  eradicated  at  once,  bnt  must  be  removed 
^adnally  and  almost  imperceptibly. 

'*  His  Grace  says,  that  so  anxious  was  he  to  keep  np 
good  harmony  between  himself  and  me,  that  he  took 
care  to  Send  all  his  orders  through  me,  submitting  them 
to  my  jirdgment^  and  that;  in  this  way,  I  was  quite  as  much 
the  Bishop  as  the  Governor  of  the  province ;  but  the 
truth  is  that  he  wanted  to  constitute  me  his  executive  o!ffi- 
cer  and  bailiff  (Ibcal  de  v&ra),  rather  than  his  adviser. 

"The  Prelate  exalts  the  virtues  of  father  Cirilo !  1 
do  not  know  whether  the  ambition*  which  lurks  benea,th 
the  coarse  woollen  gown  of  the  mon||.can  be  held  up' as 
a  pattern  of  virtue^  but  I  am  sure  that,  for  a  monk,  to 
have  sown  dissension  between  his  brefcen  and  thte 
Prelate  who  is  their  Superior,  is  an  act  sufficiently  mean 
to  make  him  fall  from  that  pedestal  of  probi^  to  which 
his  Grace  wishes  to  raise  him,  on  account  of  his  opposi- 
tion to  imaginary  licentiousness." 

The  Governor  then  takes  up  one  by  one  all  the  accu- 
sations brought  against  the  French  Capuchins,  and  avers 
that  there  is  no  foundation  for  them.  "What  they  may 
dointh)^  cells,*^  said  he,  "and  w;hat  their  secret  sins 
may  be,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  Fknowihat  they  give  no  bad 
examples,  and  that  they  inculcateno  unsound  doctrine. 
And  how  many  times  does  it  not  happen  that  the 
preaohei^s  sermons  and  his  acts  are  at  variance  1  How 
comes  the  Prelate  to  be  acquainted  with  the  existence 
of  crimes,  Which,  monstrous  as  they  ai^e  rej^'eeented  to 
be,  I  have  not  been  able  to  detect,  although  I  am  <m  the 
spot,    I  rely,  as  »  jast  resor%  op  thsB  jn^digment  x>f  the 


V  .. 


o^tii  bi^o  d  gnicM  aayal 


a- 


# 


v 


■■*. 


n 


■^ 


^ 


■*■■• 


_^^l 


96  unzaoa's  pespatoh  ok  the  quabbbls  of  the  clergy. 

king,  who  will  not  put  faith  in  the  denunciations  of 
certain  individuals,  prompted  by  personal  ambition  or 
baser ;  motives,  in  preference  to  the  assertions  of  his 
governor^  whom  he  knows  to  be  worthy  of  belief.  I 
trust  in  the  humane  intentions  of  his  Majesty,  who  never 
loses  sight  for  one  moment  of  the  welfare  and  happi- 
n^s  of  his  subjects,  and  who  has  always  striven  to 
introduce  the  influence  of  reli^on  and  morality  in  his 
domains,  not  by  abrupt  force,  nor  by  producing  affliction 
and  complaints,  but  thi'ough  the  salutary  effects  of  sweet 
and  mild  persuasion,  of  good  example  and  of  wholesome 
admonition.  These  are  the  flowery  and  pleasant  paths 
through  which  the  Holy  Evangelists  and  their  true  fol- 
lowers have  invariably  proceeded  in  establishing  a  reli-, 
gjon  of  peace.  His  Majesty  will  decide  whether  the 
conduct  of  theBibhop  of  Havaaa,  who  has  presented  him- 
self sword  in  hand,  is  in  conformity  with  the  pious 
intentions  of  the  royal  breast,  and  is  worthy  of  the 
apostolic  ministry. 

"  Aii  enlightened  prudence  and  a  good  deal  of  tolera- 
tion are  necessary  here,  for  although  this  is  a  Spanish 
province,  and, although  Count  O'Eeilly  endeavored  to 
make  its  inhabitants  forget  the  former  domination  under 
which  they  had  lived  so  long,  still  I  capnot  flatter  his 
majesty  so  much  as  to  say  that  the  people  hav^  ceased 
to  be  French  at  heart,  and  that  in  them  is  not  to  be 
found  that  spirit  of  independence  w^ich  causes  resistance 
to  oppressive  laws.  But  I  will  affirm  that  they  are  sm- 
^^ptible  of  being  siibmiasiYe  and  loyal  subjects,  that  they 
entertain  great  veneration  for  their  ancient  laws^  and  that 
the  state  of  felicity  which  they  now  Mijoy  is  a  guaranty 
tQ«in^  that  th^y  are  not  ta  be  suspected  of  being  disposed 
tofa^  in. theii^^utifis  towards  the  csown^  Therefor^  do 
I  endeavor  to  keep  them  in  the  colony,  and  to  sect^re 
their  love  and  B^rv|(^.to  the  king^jathout  caring  in  the 


ill 


.^(. 


UKZAGA  B  jyVSPATOa  OH  Tim  qUABBlEtB  OF  THE  OLEBOY.    97 

least  for  wliat  I  deem  to  be  foolaries.*  After  the  blow 
whloli  the  colonisia  drew  upoutlieskselves  by  their  late 
revolution,  the  infliction  of  another  wonld  be  taDtamount 
to  utter  destruction." 

Considering  that  this  document  was  addressed  to  the 
Court  of  Spain,  and  that  it  was  written  against  li  high 
dignitary  of  the  church  in  a  country  where  it  is  supposed 
to  havQ  possessed  lor  centuries  so  much  power,  it  U  im-' 
possible  not  to  be  struck  with  Governor  Unzaga^s  bdd 
language.  The  Spanish  government,  which  has  the  re- 
putation of  being  so  considerate  and  temporiring  in  all 
its  decisions,  acted  on  this  occasion  with  its  usual  pru^ 
deuce.  It  suj^ortedthe  Bishop  in  all  that  he  had  writr 
ten  or  done^  save  a  felw  osteeptions,  but,  at  the  same  time; 
it  abstained  from  censuring  the  Govenior,  and  contented 
itself  with  signifying  to  both  functionaries  that  it  was 
confidently  expected  that  they  would  make  some  mutual 
saciifices  of  their  views  for  the  mke  of  harmony,  and 
wo^ld  no  longer  expose  the  king's  service  to  suffer  in 
consequence  of  their  dissensdons.  This  hint  was  taken,  it 
seems ;  and^  whether  some  compromise  ch*  other  was 
effected  between  the  French  and  Spanie^^|)^nchins>^ 
peace  appears  to  .have  spread  its  brolid  wiujajs  over  the 
convent  of  iilus  revwend  firatemityj  and  notlun^'lhrthe]? 
was  heard  qf .  their  former  quarrel. 

As  the  clergy  k  so  important  an  element  in  the  com- 
position of  every  social  and  political  orgaiiizatlon;  I  have 
not  deemed  it  ina^itopriate  to  introduce  this  eccle- 
siastkaX  episode' as  ia^hisMmcfdiUustra^^  Louisianik 
in  1772.  ..  ■;-;■':.-.  '    .^  \  ''■■■'-      ■'■^:'  K'' 

to  iheir  new  goveriSBxent^^^hiGh  wfi  j^^^ 

them  %  th^j^d&m  of  ¥^         HdidiEfiitratioia.   Hie 


4h 


'1%!^' 


*  Gdsimiiji$fm^i^ 


# 


•*»^ 


0. 


t 


■4f 


f 


UTS?!"''**.;- 


p 


98  THE  ooLOinr  reconciled  to  the  new  ooyernment. 


planters,  m  particular,  found  considerable  resources  in 
the  clandestine  trade  which  they  carried  on  with  the 
English,  who  supplied  them  with  negroes  at  a  cheap 
price.  The  heavy  sums  brought  from  Vera  Cruz  to  meet 
the  expenses  of  the  government  were  cu*culating  freely, 
and,  by  increasing  the  amount  o^  specie,  had  enabled  the 
planters  to  sell  their  crops  advantageously  and  to  give 
more  extension  to  their  establishment.  It  is  well  known 
that' our  planters  seldom  resist  the  temptation  to  biiy 
more  land  or  more  negroes,  when  the  golden  opportunity 
presents  itself.  Such  had  been  the  case  on  the  present 
occasion,  and,  instead  of  employing  the  proceeds  of  their 
crops  to  pay  their  old  debts,  they  had  bethought  them- 
selves of  adiflferent  application  of  their  moneys,  and  even 
•increased  their  liabilities  to  their  creditors.  "  Keep  thy 
pen  from  lender's  book,  and  defy  the  foul  fiend,''  says 
Shakspeare,  in  his  poetical  wisdom.  The  planters  com- 
mitted the  indiscretlbn  of  violating  this  precept,  and 
could  not  defy  tJie  foul  Jlend  that  presented  himself  in 
the  shape  of  a  hurricane,  which  occasioned'such  ravages 
on  their  plantations,  that,  when  the  time  came  for  settle- 
ment with  their  creditors,  they  could  pay  neither  capital 
nor  inteir^t,  but,  on  the  contrary,  wonted  advances.  The 
creditors  stuck  to  their  bond,  and  wanted,  if  not  their 
pound  of  flesh,  at  least  part  of  it.  They  became  clamor- 
ous, and  some  of  them  resorted  to  legal  measures  to 
e2q>ropriate  their  creditors.  The  debtors — ^including 
those  who  could  pay  and  those  who  could  not— entered 
into  a  confederacy,  and  resolved  on  resistance  per  fas  et 
nefas.  At  their  head  was  St.  Maxent,  a  wealthy  piaster, 
whose  daughter  Governor  Unzaga  had  married,  and  whd 
thought  that  h^  could  avail  himsi^  of  this  circumstance 
to  set  his  creditors  at  defiance.  In  a  Spanish  colony,  at 
that  time,  a  governor  was  almost  oinnipotent,  and,  there- 
fore, all  the  contending  parties  gathered' in  earnest  sup- 


% 


m 


-# 


# 


Hj^ 


•* 


,  """^MAJiDcBBDrroBa.  99 

plication  ronad  that  fiinctionanr   l„  tv       . 
Unzaga  acted  with  the  strS  •    *''*!*,«"n!n'n«tances, 
h^yost^^  di^^«„ '"^t  ^partWity  «„d  with' 

father-m-kw  to  pay  every  ce^t  ^*'  I  T"?  '^"^"^  '"^ 
«l«.^mplo^ed  oJ;4n^i2?lu  «:'"-*  t*  ""^^  '"'i 
to  pay  their  debt,  bat  Xt!i        T  ''^°  ''«'*  "Me 
oiMgiag  them  h^Z^  tSf™  T""*  *"  P**P°°*  -ii^ 
«citen,ent.    To  L  i^^div,  f  *''"  P°P""- 
he  granted  the  dela™  yZT^  ""^  '"*'»«'*  <lel>tora 
««oncaed  the  creditor  to^tj  f^'^'H  »ad  even 
«  them  that  it  Z&Z^^^^^  "^^  -n- 
"n.*  comse  pnisaed  by  the^!.        their  own  interest. 

^  8  royal  echednle  of  the  4t)   S*  A  .  ^^ 
J»%e  Martin,  in  his  IBstonr  ,^  f    .4*^*.  1^4,  says 
granting  Unds  in  the  c^7  "   ^rman^  the  power  of 

«ngto  the  ^^SZTT^"^^' 

8th  of  January,  1 770     ttL  ^''^"^'Uy,  on  the 

iteelf,  Whether^  ^  m^X    I  ^°'^°-  P'^sents 

^^r.  not  naU  and  loT^'^^  snbseqaent  governors 

relations,  if  it  be  not  show^  fh^^'.f  ^^"'^  °^  *hose 

been  repealed  or  modified  ^^*^°^™?^«°'^  had 

«ale  of  lands  and  other  immovS  n^  ^  #  Pri^»«e 

the  9th  of  N-oyember  mo  "  „    l??^^ '^  ^''''ed,  on 

-  of  «,„ie  imporUnT;,'X]:S'!*'^'7  ^«<»«e,  whi:!! 

the  transfer  of  I*rope;ty4def°*°„%^f«  governing 

t'op,  and  which  ^^befo^dtt^   ^/^"^^  "^^"i^l 

lie  province  co,>Z^^ZT^^^* 
h*d,  that  it  w5s  easy  fot'the  rll  '      ''1  *"  thinly  ^J^ 
th^a^yes  for  any  k^  ^t^r"^  '^^'^  *°  '»"<=«'^ 
Sf  Wew  Orleans.    Ther^tW^*'.''^f"  ^^  ^«huty 
S*'^  -"to  g«««s.  tffiljin''^^  thea^ 

<*  *«  PhmtetiS.    It^^'Sf  «,^  ^^E^datioas 


'*. 


i  ^■ 


•SeelieApptoa 


IX 


Mi 


100       POWER  OF  GRANTma  LANDS  WHEBS  VESTED. 

tnis  pressing  evil,  and  to  put  a  stop  to  a  state  of  things 
which  served  as  a  fatal  example  to  the  rest  of  the 
negroes,  and  Governor  Unzaga  issued  a  j^roclamalaon,  by 
which  he  offered  an  amnesty-  or  free  pardon  to  those 
slaves  who  should  return,  voluntarily  to  their  masters, 
and  threatened  with  severe  punishment  those  who  should 
not  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  offered  to  them 
to  obtain  mercy  for  their  past  misdemeanoi*8.  This 
measure  seems  to  have  had  a  salutary  effect. 

In  1776,  Don  Bernardo  de  Galvez  succeeded  Este- 
cheria  in  the  command  oi  the  regiment  of  Louisiaia. 
The  year  previous,  hostilities  had  broken  out  between 
Great  Britain  and  her  thirteen  colonies  of  North  Ame- 
rica, and  that  great  contest  had  begun  which  was  to  give 
birth  to  one  of  the  mightiest  nations  of  the  present  cen- 
tury. There  were  at  that  time  in  New  Orleans  a  number 
of  merchants  from  Bosjbon,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia, 
whose  feelings  were  stt'dngly  enlisted  on  behalf  of  their 
countrymen^  who  were  struggling  against  oppression. 
Among  them,  Oliver  Pollock  Was  one  of  the  most  con- 
ipicuous  and  most  active.  They  procured  a  good  supply 
of  arms  and  ammunition  for  the  inhabitants  of  the 
western  part  of  Pennsylvania,  which  they  delivered  to 
Colonel  Gibson,  who  had  come  for  it  from  Httsburg. 
This  was  done  with  the  connivance  of  the  Spanish  gover- 
nor; for  Spain,  like  France,  was  inimical  to  Great  Bri^ 
tain,  and  was  willing  to  add  fuel  to  the  flames  which 
threatened  her  old  and  potent  rival. 

On  the  2Sth  of  February,  the  Court  of  Madrid  had 
re<^uested  Uflzaga  to  specify  Wh3.t  were  the  means  of 
defisnce;  which  he  possessed  in  thei  colony,  and  what 
w<rtild  be  liis  plana  of  operation  Should  he  be  attacked. 
Qn  the  19th  of  June,  he  answered  by  sending,  a  detailed 
abatement  of  the  number  of  troops  in  the  colony,  and 
their  equipments— of  the  munition,,  provisions,  and  mate- 


m 


■tife 


DEFEKSIVB  BESOUROES  0S>  THE  COLONT. 


101 


rials  of  whicli  he  could  dispose — of  the  fortiflcations  then 
existing  at  New  Orleans  and  in*it8  immediate  vicinity, 
with  his  reflections  relative  to  the  best  mode  of  defence. 
He  commented  on  the  small  number  of  regulars  and 
militia  he  had  under  his  command,  and  obsetved  that 
they  were  far  from  being  adequate  to  ihe  protection  of 
a  country  having  more  than  fifteen  lundred  miles  in 
extent.  He  represented  the  fortifications  as  insignifi- 
cant, and  their  artillery  as  insufficient.  ''  Besides,  as  the 
country  was  open  on  all  sides,"  said  he,  "it  was  perfectly 
useless  to  attempt  making  a  show  of  resistance  in  front, 
when  the  enemy  could  attack  on  the  fiank  and  on  the 
rear,  without  meeting  any  defence.  Two  small  vessels 
of  war,  such  as  there  is  one  .ah*eady^  being  introduced, 
and  taking  their  station  in  the  rear  above  New  Orleans, 
would  cut  off  my  retreat."  He  also  represented  the  for- 
tifications at  Manchac^  jPointe  Couple,  Natchitoches, 
Arkansas^  and  Illinois,  as  being  equally  unavaila,ble,  and 
he  informed  his  government  tha.t,  in  case  of  war,  should 
he  be  attacked  by  superior  forces,  he  would)  unless  he 
received  contrary  oinieis,  retreat  to  the  frontiers  of 
Mexico,  leaving  it  ^o  the  treaty  of  peace  that,  wauld  be 
concluded  in  theer  4  to  determine  finally,  on  the  i^te  of 
Louisiana. 

He  also  communicated  to  his  government  all  the  infor- 
mation he  had  been  able  to  gather,  in,  relatioin  to  the 
designs  which  he  suspected  the  English  to  have  formed 
against  the  colony  of  Louisiana.  "  Tl^,  last  news  we 
have/'  said -he,  "were  broughtby.the  English  vessels 
which  navigate  this  river  on  iheir  way  to^  tha^settlenients 
of  that  nation,  and  th«y  are  of  a  duHess  <4;karacter;  for 
the  iosurgents  and  the  royalists  make  oontoRdibtory 
repoi^*  But,  on , weighing  and  company,, them  (^e^ 
^^  I  hove  couBB  to  the .  conol^siosi  ihaij^v  it  may  be 


lr'» 


■<*i|P' 


49:  I 


% 


ft 


H 

Iffl 

'  ffl 

1 

iifHI 

^P 


■y^ 


^^1 


W 


..Uf     . 


102 


imZAOA  DXSIBES  HIB  BEOALL. 


correctly  estimated  that  Oreat  Britain  now  disposes,  in 
the  waters  of  North  America,  of  ninety  vessels  of  war, 
carrying  each  £rom  sixteen  to  fifty  guns,  and  has  an 
army  of  25,000  men.  It  seems  that,  since  the  engage- 
ment at  Boston,  the  English  have  not  made  much  pro- 
gress, and  have  confined  their  operations  to  the  blockad' 
ing  of  ports,  (&c.,  c&c.,  and  that  the  insurgents  have  taken 
M,ontreal,  and  raised  the  siege  of  Quebec,  after  having 
lost  one  thousand  men,  and  the  general  who  commanded 
them,  &c.,  <&c. 

"  I  shall  not,  however,  allow  myself  to  be  thrown  oflP 
my  guard,  and  cease  to  use  those  precautions  which  I 
ought  to  resort  to  in  the  present  circumstances,  because 
I  suspect  that,  at  any  moment,  the  royalists  and  the  in- 
surgents may  make  up  their  quarrel  and  unite  their 
forces,  in  order  to  take  possession  by  surprise  of  one  of 
the  domains  of  some  European  power,  and  thus  to 
indemnify  themselves  for  their  losses  and  eicpenses,  or  in 
order  to  carry  into  execution  any  other  designs,  which  I 
shall  endeavor  to  penetrate  by  using  all  the  mean^  at  my 
disposal ;  and,  to  that  effect,  I  have  despatched  a  trusty 
man  to  Philadelphia,  who,  under  the  pretext  of  looking 
for  flour,  with  a  passport,  and  with  permission  to  trans- 
port the  flour  to  Cadiz  in  a  Spanish  vessel  and  with  a 
Spanish  crew,  will  endeavor  to  discover  their  designs  by 
stopping  at  some  of  their  ports." 

On  the  22nd  of  the  same  month,  Unzaga,  who  had 
been  made  Brigadier-General,  again  petitioned  the  court 
to  be  allowed  to  retire  to  Malaga,  with  the  pay  of  Colo- 
nel, on  account  of  his  advanced  age,  the  bad  state  of  his 
health  and  his  impaired  sight.  He  represented  that  he 
had  served  the  king  forty-one  years  in  the  army,  the 
eight  first  years  of  which  in  Spain,  Italy,  and  Africa, 
and  the  thirty<^ee  remaining  years  in  America,  wheire 


5?R#^ 


■■'1 


4 


UKZAQA  BlOOlOaBirM  ▲  BEltEB  OBOANIZATXOir.   108 

the  royal  patronage  had  bestowed  upon  him  the  govern- 
ment of  Lomsiama,  the  duties  of  which  he  had  been  per* 
forming  for  more  than  six  years. 

On  the  18th  of  August,  he  again  communicated  to  his 
govemn.<^nt  all  the  information  he  had  been  able  to 
collect  in  relation  to  the  American  war,  and  insisted  on 
having  leave  of  retiring  from  active  service. 

'^  On  the  7th  of  September,  he  informed  his  govern- 
ment that  he  had  despatched  to  Philadelphia  a  packet 
commanded  by  Bartholomew  Beauregard^  apparently 
for  the  purpose  of  procuring  flour  for  the  wants  of  New 
Orleans,  but  really  to  pry  into  the  designs  of  the 
royalists  and  insurgents. 

Unzaga,  in  a  despatch  of  the  28th  of  December,  called 
the  attention  of  the  government  to  the  prejudice  and 
injuries  to  which  was  exposed  the  safety  ol  the  colony 
from  the  hct  that  said  colony  was  dependent,  as  to  its 
military  administration  and  government,  on  the  Governor 
and  Captain  General  of  the  island  of  Cuba,  and,  among 
other  reasons,  he  gave  the  following: 

"  In  case  of  war,  it  is  vain  to  hope  for  any  help  from 
Havana,  nor  for  proper  directions  or  orders  from  the 
captain  general,  who  is  not  ikM][uainted  with  the  country 
and  its  localities.  For  want  of  such  knowledge,  the 
captain  general  would  probably  issue  no  orders,  and  the 
governor  of  Louisiana  would  tlien  remain  inactive,  as  he 
would  not  be  willing  to  incur  any  responsibility ;  and 
thus  his  hands  being  tied  up,  the  opportunity  of  secur- 
ing the  most  important  successes  might  be  neglected, 
and  the  honor  of  the  Spanish  arms  slight  be  tarnished, 
the  captain  general  of  Cuba  Excusing  himself,  on  the  im- 
possibility in  which  he  WQuld  be  to  met  or  to  give  orders, 
and  the  governor  of  Louisiaiia*pleadi]:^  the  want  of  in- 
sttnctions.  I  have  been,  for  nearly  se'ven  years,  the 
chief  officer  in  command  of  this  province.    I  have  H  /ed 


■-» 


^w 


♦ 


f 


'y 


104 


END  OF  UiraAOA^S  ADM1NI8TBATI0N. 


in  that  dependent  state  to  which  I  allude,  and,  although  I 
do  not  say  that  I  have  suffered  from  it,  because  X  have 
always  gloried  in  serving  and  obeying  with  implicit 
readiness,  yet  I  must  assure  the  king,  on  my  honor,  that, 
under  the  present  colonial  organization,  the  myal  in- 
terests are  liable  to  be  put  in  jeopardy,  and  that  the 
governor  of  this  province,  whoever  h6  may  be,  will  be 
exposed  to  many  mortifications,  more  or  leas  aggravating 
according  to  the  humor  of  the  captain  general  of  Cuba" 
The  leave  to  rethre  from  active  service,  with  permis- 
sion to  reside  at  Malaga,  which  Unzaga  had  prayed  for, 
was  refused,  and  he  was  appointed  Captain  General  of 
Caraccas.  He  had  won  the  esteem  and  affection  of  the 
population,  and  his  departure  caused  unbounded  regrets. 
His  administration  had  been  that  of  a  gentle  and  indul- 
gent father,  and  his  having  dared  to  connive  at  the 
breach  by  the  British  of  the  fiscal  and  commercial  laws 
of  Spain,  a  strict  observance  of  which  would  have  been 
fatal,  materially  increased  the  prosperity  of  the  colony. 
His  conduct,  in  this  respect,  was  not  absolutely  approved 
by  the  king's  mmisters,  but  it  did  not  deprive  him  of 
the  confidence  of  his  sovereign,  as  is  ftdly  proved  by  hw 
promotion. 


■*f 


# 


■* 


.■.    *., 


h 


# 


CHAFTfiR  m.    . 

OALVI2*  ADMIlflBTBATUXir. 
1111  to  1788. 

lORo'a  ADMnnsTBAnoir. 
1784  to  1785. 


Bt  a  royal  decree  of  the  10th  of  July,  1776,  the  govern* 
ment  and  intendancy  of  Louisiana  had  been  ordered  to  be'' 
provisionally  surrendered  to  Don  Bernardo  de  Galvez, 
.  hen  colonel  of  the  regiment  of  Louisiana.  He  entered  on- 
the  duties  of  his  office,  as  Unzaga's  successor,  on  the  Ist 
of  February,  1777.  He  was  then  about  twentyone 
years  old,  and  his  talents,  his  energy  and  his  activity 
would  have  secured  him  a  brilliant  career,  even  had  he 
not  possessed  other  means  of  success.  But  to  thetie  ad- 
vantages he  joined  that  of  being  ast*  powerfully  connected 
as  any  subject  in  Spain.  His  father,  Don  Mathias  de 
Galvez,  was  viceroy  of  Mexico,  and  his  uncle,  Don  Josdph 
de  Galvez,  was  almost  king  of  Spain,  for  he  was  secretuy 
of  state  and  president  of  the  council  of  the  Indie?)  and 
was,  as  such,  next  to  the  crowned  headSj  the  man  who 
wielded  the  gre&teBt  power  in  Europe. 

In  I77d,  it  had  been  stipulated  between  the  courts  of 
Fi*ance  and  Spain  that  Louiidana  should  be  piermitted  to 
trade  with  Vuie  Freneh  West  India  Islands,  on  coupon 
thatlibe  articles  which  might  be  wanted  firoin  Louisiana 
for  I'lose  isiaU'^B   should  he  purchased'^ (in  order  to 


^ 


•-9h 


i;L 


156 


GALVEZ    ADMINISTRATIOlir. 


M 


'^h'i 


m 
If 


M 


^. 


PPil 


t 


prevent  smuggling)  by  two  commissioners  appointed  by 
tbe  French  government,  who  should  reside  in  3S:  ew  Or- 
leans. On  the  12th  of  February,  1777,  the  two  French 
commissioners,  Villars  and  Favre  d' Annoy,  arrived  in 
Louisiana.  It  was  through  them  that  all  the  French 
vessels  which  should  come  to  the  colony  were  to  get 
their  cargoes.  The  appointment  of  Galvez  was  the  sig- 
nal of  a  considerable  change  in  the  commerce  of  the 
province.  The  English  had  enjoyed  the  monopoly  of  it 
under  Unzaga's  administration,  but  it  now  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  French.  The  commissioners  of  that 
nation  soon  obtained  from  Galvez  the  grant  of  more 
privileges  than  were  conceded  in  the  treaty,  and  the 
French  vessels  were  authorized  to  load  not  only  at  New 
Orleans,  but  also  at  any  point  on  the  river,  provided 
they  brought  to  the  governor  a  declaration  from  the 
planters  specifying  the  articles  which  they  had  shipped. 
Another  encouragement  was  given  to  the  commerce  of 
the  province  by  reducing  to  one-half  the  duty  of  four 
per  cent.,  which  used  to  be  collected  on  the  exportation 
of  its  produce.  The  French  paid  for  the  articles  they 
bought,  either  in  specie,  bills  of  exchange,  or  Oumea 
negroes ;  the  introduction  of  those  that  were  bom  in  the 
colonies,  or  had  remained  long  in  them,  having  been 
prohibited.  Vessels  from  Louisiana  were  permitted  to 
bring  European  produce  or  goods  from  the  island  of 
Cuba,  or  from  Campeachy.  On  the  30th  of  March, 
ITYT,  the  French  commissioners,  Villars  and  Favre  d' An- 
noy, wrote  to  their  government :  "  The  facilities  granted 
by  M.  de  Galvez  to  the  trade  between  Louisiana  and  the 
French  islands,  and  also  the  liberal  interpretation  given 
by  him  to  the  clauses  of  the  treaty,  have  revived  the 
industry  and  activity  of  the  merchants  and  planters,  and 
opened  a  brilliant  prospect  to  the  colony."  On  the  26  th 
of  April,  the  same  commissioners  informed  their  govern- 


BNCOUBAGEMENT  TO  COMMERCE  AJiI*  AGRICULTURE.    107 


ment  that  GaLvez  liad  seized  eleven, English  vessels,  ||» 
richly  laden,  which  were  trafficking  with  the  planters  on 
the  banks  of  the  ]!kfis!i>is8ippi,  and  said  that,  if  the  gover- 
nor persisted  in  the  rigor  with  which  he  acted  against 
the  English,  the  French  commerce  in  Louisiana  would 
soon  acquire  a  much  greater  extension. 

The  Spanish  government  sought  also  to  give  encou- 
ragement to  agriculture,  and  informed  the  colonists  that 
the  king  would,  for  the  present,  purchase  tobacco  to  the 
amount  of  eight  hundred  thousand  doUars,  if  they  could 
raise  so  much  of  it,  and  that,  for  the  future,  he  would 
buy  their  whole  crop,  however  large  it  might  be.  A 
meeting  of  the  planters  was  convened  by  the  Governor,  ,, 
and  they  were  invited  to  deliberate  on  the  price  at  which 
they  could  afford  to  seU  their  tobacco.  It  was  ultimately 
agreed  to  be  seven  livres  a  pound  for  leaf  tobacco,  and  i| 
ten  livi'es  iov  tobacco  in  carots.  The  Spanish  govern- 
ment had  two  objects  in  view,  in  thus  fostering  the  cul- 
tivation of  tobacco :  l*j — ^it  was  to  draw  from  Louisiana, 
at  a  low  price,  all  the  tobacco  necessary  to  the  supply 
of  its  Mexican  provinces,  and  thereby  to  raise  its  re-  ,♦; 
venue,  through  the  duty  which  it  imposed  on  this  ai'ticle 
in  those  provinces ;  2**, — it  aimed  at  drr/ing  the  Englbh 
and  th^  Dutch  out  of  the  French,  market,  which  they 
monopolized  as  to  the  tobacco  trade. 

"  Enjoying  a  better  climate  than  Maryland  and  Vir* 
giuia,"  said  Vinai-s  and  d' Annoy,  in  one  of  their  des- 
patches, "  Louisiana,  on  account  of  its  extent  and  fertility, 
could  furnish  the  universe  with  tobacco.  But  its  popu- 
lation, if  not  augmented,  will  not  even  permit  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  wish  entertained  by  his  Catholic 
Majesty,  to  supply  with  its  produce  the  wants  of  the 
Mexican  market.  It  is  calculated  that,  in  a  territory- 
measuring  1500  miles  in  length,  the^  are  hardly  8000 
negroes,  and  that  the  whites  muster  irom  6000  to  7000 


'w 


■•#! 


W'% 


'W^ 


If 


'f, 


Im 


tJV  ill'"*' 


r'-i 


i'^M 


>■'•■•  ^n- 


108        JOINT  DiSPATCH  OF  VILLAilS  AND  d'AUNOY. 

#  souls  only.  The  lands  of  Lower  Jjouisiana,  where  is  the 
great  bulk  of  the  population,  are  favorable  U>  the  lum- 
ber and  timber  trade,  to  the  cultivation  of  rice,  com  and 
indigo,  but  they  are  not  adapted  to  tobacco.  These 
considerations  have  not  escaped  the  attention  of  the 
Spanish  ministry.  They  have  granted  an  annual  sum 
of  $40,000,  to  facilitate  the  establishment  of  the  new 
colonists  who  may  come  to  Louisiana,  and  it  is  ordered 
that  concessions  be  made  to  them,  in  those  parts  where 
it  may  suit  them  to  settle*  But,  as  Spain  herself  is 
wanting  in  population,  and  as  those  of  her  subjects  who 
come  to  America  show  that  they  have  very  little  dispo- 
sition to  devote  themselves  to  agiiculture,  her  project  is 
to  draw  here,  either  from  France  or  from  the  French 
colonies,  all  the  population  which  may  be  necessary  to 
the  execution  of  her  views.  The  Spanish  government 
'acts  in  conformity  with  this  plan,  and  requests  our 
coasters  to  make  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Domingo  and  the 
Windward  islands  acquainted  with  the  advantages  which 
await  them  in  Louisiana.  Considering  that  the  tendency 
of  this  scheme,  should  it  succeed,  is  to  deprive  France  of 
a  useful  portion  of  her  subjects  engaged  in  the  pursuit 
of  agriculture,  we  hasten  to  inform  you  of  it,  in  order 
that  you  may,  should  you  think  it  advisable,  put  a  stop 
to  an  emigration  which  cannot  but  be  injurious  to  the 
interests  of  France.  If  it  be  Frenchmen  who  are  to,  be 
relied  upon  for  the  cultivation  of  Louisiana,  it  seems  to 
us  more  natural  that  his  most  Christian  Majesty  should 
resume  the  possession  of  this  colony.  France  alone  can 
raise  it  to  that  degree  of  prosperity  to  which  it  is  en- 
titled." Fully  alive  to  the  policy  of  giving  more  exten- 
sion to  the  agriculture  of  Louisiana,  the  Court  of  Madrid 
issued  a  decree  permitting  l^e  introduction  of  negroes 
into  thatv  province  by  French  vessels,  from  whatever 
ports  they  might  come/ 


-* 


* 


In 

betw 
with 
byth 
secret 
the  fa 
to  soi 
severa 
Htttc 
by  Oil 
use  of^ 
of  Phi 
Judge 
British 
compar 
to  indu( 
join  th( 
peopte  ( 
in  their 
on  the  ] 
fate  of  ; 
were  de 
tragedy. 
Floridas 
the  war, 
assistanc 
of  the  in 
Galvei 
Geoi^e  J 
who,  in 
Gfovemo] 
which  ha 
tion.    « 
cnte  irm 
easily  BUT 


¥' 


GEOltC^E  MOBOAIT's  LETTER  TO  GALYE2. 


100 


In  tHe  mean  time,  the  straggle  which  was  going  on 
between  England  and  her  American  colonies  was  watched 
with  intense  interest  by  the  G-ovemor  of  Louisiana,  and 
by  the  Spanish  court,  which  sent  several  orders  to  afford 
secret  assistance  to  the  insurgents.  Xn  consequence  of 
the  favorable  dispositions  of  Spain,  which  were  conveyed, 
to  some  of  the  leaders  of  the  Americans  in  the  West, 
several  large  boats  had  come  this  year,  1777^  from  Fort 
Pitt  to  New  Orleans,  where  munitions  had  been  collected 
by  Glivei*  Pollock,  with  the  occult  aid  of  Gralvez,  for  the 
use  of  the  thirteen  United  States..  "Captain  Willing, 
of  Philadelphia,  who  came  in  one  of  those  boats,"  says 
Judge  Martin  in  his  History  of  Louisiana,  "visited  the 
British  settlements  on  the  Mississippi,  and  some  of  his 
companions  crossed  the  lakes  to  Mobile,  with  the  view 
to  induce  the  inhabitants  to  raise  the  striped  banner,  and. 
join  their  countrymen  in  the  struggle  for  freedom.  The ' 
people  of  both  the  Floridas,  however,  remained  steadfast 
in  their  attachment  to  the  royal  cause.  Perhaps  those 
on  the  Mississippi  and  in  Mobile,  who  remembered  the 
fate  of  Lafrenidre  and  his  companions  at  New.  Orleans, 
were  deterred  from  lising  by  the  recollection  of  this  late 
tragedy.  The  thin  and  sparse  population  of  «both  the 
Floridas,  their  distance  from  the  provinces  engaged  in 
the  war,  and  the  consequent  difficulty  of  receiving  any 
assistance  from  them,  had  also  its  influence  on  the  conduct 
of  the  inhabitants." 

G-alvez  kept  up  an  active  correspondence  with  Colonel 
George  Morgan,  who  was  in  command  of  Fort  J*itt,  and 
who,  in  a  letter  of  the  22d  of  April,  gave  the  Spanish 
Governor  a  very  able  and  lucid  history  of  idl^he  events 
which  had  ocjcinred  since  the  beginnijig  of  the  Bevdu- 
tion.  "  Should  we  be  able,"- said  the  colonel,  "  to-  prp- 
cui*e  transports  m  N^w  OrkuDB,  I  ihtnk  iikat  w«  could 
easily  sm^rise  Mobile  and  PensatoolAj  destroy  l^eif  fqfr- 


■     H 


■¥ 


# 


% 


If 


ifM 

fm 

liR  ^^^ 

!:r^ 

;  (j  ^^p 

'  }    MM^ 

>  r  Miml 

1  i  L^l!m^ 

110     OEOBOE  morgan's  LETTER  TO  OALVEZ. 

tiflcations,  and  possess  ourselves  of  all  their  mimitioaB, 
unless  these  ports  be  better  fortified  and  defended  than 
we  imagine.  I  would  pay  liberally  to  have  a  plan  of 
the  fortifications,  and  correct  information  as  to  the  gar- 
risons and  naval  forces  which  protect  these  pl^es.  If 
,  jone  thousand  men  were  sufficient  for  the  contemplated 
expedition,  and  if  we  could,  in  New  Orleans,  purchase 
or  charter  vessels,  and  procure  artillery,  on  as  short 
notice  as  possible,  we  could  strike  the  most  successful 
blow  in  a  quarter  where  it  is  least  expected.  But  we 
shall  never  proceed  to  any  action  on  the  subject,  before 
having  previously  obtained  the  permission  and  co-opera- 
tion of  your  excellency,  and  before  having  secured  all 
the  transports,  provisions,  &c.,  of  which  we  may  stand 
0  in  need.  If  we  cannot,  however,  expect  so  much  at  your 
hands,  we  flatter  ourselves  that  you  will  at  least  peimit 
us  to  trade  freely  with  New  Orleans,  and  I  beg  your 
excellency  to  inform  me  by  an  express  messenger  of  your 
decision,  and  this,  of  course,  at  my  expense." 

But  Galvez  had  no  idea,  for  obvious  reasons,  of  per- 
mitting the  Americans  to  set  their  foot,  in  military  array, 
on  the  soil  of  Louisiana,  and  eluded  to  give  any  positive 
answer  t©  Morgan's  proposed  plan  of  attack  against  the 
British  possessions.  He  wrote  to  his  government  that, 
considering  the  turn  which  the  war  was  taking,  he  feared 
the  inconveniences  which  might  result  from  the  passage 
of  the  belligerents  through  the  neutral  territory  of  Loui- 
siana, and  he  informed  the  court  of  Madrid  that,  in  order 
to  endeavor  to  protect  the  Spanish  interests  on  the  river, 
he  had  caused  to  be  built  four  boats,  carrying,  each,  one 
24  or  18  pounder.  "These  gunboats,"  said  he,  in  a  de- 
spatch of  the  2d  of  June,  "will  be  more  useful  in  the 
riv^r  than  two  frigates,  because,  as  they  will  be  pfb- 
pelled  by  wind  and  oar,  they  will  be  more  than  a  match 
'     for  any  vessel  of  war  that  may  enter  the  passes  of  the 


me 


GAL^ 

Missis 
accou] 
large  f 
su<5  I 
ways  I 
and  to 
of  the 
those  ^ 
lying  a 
almost 
river,  c 
because 
river,  b( 
On  tl 
minute  i 
the  othe 
of  the  r 
also  infc 
taws,  anc 
of  25,00 
clared  ti 
tween  th 
the  lattei 
the  Engli 
On  th( 
ment  infc 
nists  shoi 
sippi,  and 
Catholic 
them  in  t 
should  no 
the  Eoglis 
anderstanc 
that  those 
iominatioi 


¥ 


w- 


n- 


,«Li.. 


UALVSZ  PBOVIDES  FOB  THE  DBFENCB  OF  THE  COLONY.   Ill 


Mississippi,  considering  that  those  vessels  of  war,  on 
account  of  the  shallowneps  of  the  water,  cannot  be  of  a 
large  size,  and  that  their  gons  must  be  of  a  snuUl  calibre, 
sudi  as  twelve  poanders  at  most;  so  that  it  will  al- 
ways be  in  our  power  to  choose  our  position  and  distance, 
and  to  do  much  injury  without  receiving  any,  on  accoun^ 
of  the  wider  range  of  our  guns.  All  agree  that  one  of 
those  gun-boats  wOl  be  able  to  sink  any  vessel  of  war 
lying  at  anchor,  or  beoahaed,  which  must  be  the  case, 
almost  at  every  moment,  when  a  vessel  comes  up  the 
river,  on  account  of  the  rapidity  of  the  current,  and 
because  the  wind,  which  is  favorable  at  one  betfd  of  the 
river,  becomes  necessarily  adverse  beyond  that  point." 

On  the  10th  of  July,  Galvez  sent  to  his  government  a 
minute  statement  of  the  fortifications,  the  garrison,  and 
the  other  means  of  defence  of  Fensacola  and  Mobile,  and ,, 
of  the  naval  forces  attached  to  these  two  points.  He 
also  informed  his  government  that  the  Creeks,  Choc- 
taws,  and  Chickasaws,  who,  he  said,  formed  a  population 
of  25,000  souls,  including  women  and  children,  had  de- 
clared that  they  would  remain  neutrals  in  the  war  be- 
tween the  English  and  Americans,  and  would  prevent 
the  latter  from  violating  their  territory  to  attack  any  of 
the  English  possessions. 

On  thu  16th  of  August  (1777)  the  Spaniah  govemr 
ment  informed  Galvez :  that  in  case  the  American  colo- 
nists should  seize  the  British  settlements  on  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  should  be  disposed  to  deliver  them  up  to  his 
Catholic  Majesty,  he,  Galvez,  was  authorized  to  receive 
them  in  trust  or  deposit,  always  taking  care  that  this 
should  not  provoke  any  violent  measures  on  the  part  of 
the  Enghsh,  which  might  be  avoided  by  giving  them  to 
understand,  that  it  must  be  more  advantageous  for  them 
that  those  settlements  should  be,  as  a  deport,,  under  the 
domination  of  the  kbg,  ^lan  in  the  posseission  of  the 


^ 


Jim 


■r 


4- 


,|i^ 
;€■' 


'^. 


# 


^i^'^:. 


112  VIEWS  OF  SPAIJf  AS  TO  THE  AMERICAN  WAR  IN  lilt. 

insurgents.  But  this  was  anticipating  the  happening  of 
an  event  which  was  not  likely  to  occur,  for  the  Ameri- 
cans would  have  been  very  little  disposed  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  officious  proposition  of  the  king  of  Spain  to 
relieve  them  from  the  burden  of  keeping  any  (rf  their 
acquisitions,  and  they  would  certainly  have  been  inclined, 
and  would  probably  have  thought  themselves  able,  to 
retain  possession  of  their  conquests,  should  they  have 
made  any. 

Some  of  their  incursions  in  the  territory  acknowledging 
the  sway  of  Great  Britain,  west  of  the  Ohio,  and  on  the 
banks  of  tLe  Mississippi,  had  proved  highly  successful, 
and  the  militia  of  Virginia  had  possessed  themselves  of 
Kaskaskia,  and  of  some  other  posts  on  that  river.  By 
an  act  of  the  Legislature,  the  region  which  Vir^nia  had 
thus  acquired  was  erected  into  a  county  called  Illinois, 
and  a  regiment  of  infantry  and  a  troop  of  horse  were 
raised  for  its  protection,  imder  the  command  of  Colonel 
£!lark.  It  will  be  recollected  that,  by  the  last  treaty  of 
peace  between  Great  Britain  and  France,  the  Missis- 
sippi had  been  given  to  Nort!i  Carolina  as  its  western 
limit.  But  George  HE.  had  forbidden  any  settlement  of 
white  people  to  the  west  of  the  mounta^ps  of  North 
Carolina.  Notwithstanding  this  prohibition,  a  consider- 
able number  of  emigrants  from  that  province  had  re- 
moved to  the  banks  of  the  Watauga,  one  of  the  branches 
of  the  Holston.  "  They  had  increased  to  such  a  degree," 
sajrs  Judge  Martin  m  his  History  of  LouiMana,  'Hhat,  in 
1T76,  their  claim,  to  representaticp  in  the  convention  th&t 
framed  the  constitution,  was  admitted.  In  1777,  they 
were  formed  into  a  county  which  haii.  t^e  Missisnppi  for 
its  western  boundary."  Thus,  at  this  early  p^fOMd^bf 
the(ir  history,iiad  the  IJpitfid  Stfttep  eictended  their  ^o- 
mioion  and  carried  their  liag  and  th^  laws  to  th^  balilpt 
of^at  mighty,|t?e^  over    hich  they  irere  4eirt5iiflii|  to 


exe] 

excl 

Ii 

turn 

conn 

with 

open 

gentg 

timid 

Brita 

gone 

anoB, 

seveni 
occupi 
beeus 
sylvan 
such,  e 
tated  1 
and  wi 
down 
engage 
the  Br 
tured 
ofBayc 
waseva 
who  cr 
Spanish, 
possessc 
river  to 
on  the 
Mii^xjar] 
Ag0< 
the  1^ 


'mdj^el 


* 


m 


'mi. 


OAIiVEZ  OlYES  ASSISTANCE  TO  THE  AMEBIOAITS.      113 

exercise,  in  the  short  space  of  less  than  forty  years,  an 
exclusive  jurisdiction, 

In  the  month  of  tTannary,  1778,  Captain  Willing  re- 
turned to  New  Orleans  for  the  second  time,  to  enter  into 
communication  and  concert  with  Oliver  Pollock  vrho, 
with  the  permission  and  suj^rt  of  Galvez,  had  now 
openly  assumed  the  character  of  an  agent  for  the  insur- 
gents. The  Court  of  Spain  had  gradually  become  less 
timid  in  its  manifestation  of  hostility  towards  Great 
Britain ;  and  Galvez,  encouraged  by  his  government,  had 
gone  so  far  as  to  give  assistance  to  the  Americans  in 
armu,  ammunition,  provisions,  <fec.,  to  the  amount  of 
seventy  thousand  dollars.  By  these  means,  the  posts 
occupied  by  the  militia  of  Virginia  on  the  Mississippi  had 
been  strengthened,  and  the  Rentier  inhabitants  of  •Penn- 
sylvania had  received  material  aid  and  comfort.  Under, 
such  encouraging  circmnstances,  WiUing  had  not  hesi- 
tated  to  increase  in  New  Orleans  the  crew  of  his  boats ; 
and  with  most  of  those  same  companions  who  had  come 
down  with  him^  and  who  ^ere  about  fifty  in  number,  he 
engaged  in  foragmg  and  predatory  excursions  against 
the  British  planters  oti  the  Mississippi.  This  troop  cap- 
tured a  small  vessel  which  was  at  anchor  near  the  mouth 
of  Bayou  Manchae,  and  took  possession  of  the  fort,  Vhich 
was  evacuated  by  its  garrison  of  about  fifty  or  siicty  men, 
who  crossed  the  Mississippi  and  sought  refiige  on  the 
Spanish  side,  in  the  very  vessel  of  which  they  had 
possessed  themselves,  the  Americans  proceeded  up  the 
river  to  Baton  Bouge,  stopping  at  the  several  plantations 
on  the  way,  burning  all  tiie  houses  and  other  buildings, 
and  carryii^ojff  the  negroes.  r  >     >  ' 

A  good  maiiy  af'th^  British  fianters,  on  hearing  of 
the  appfodch  of  theee  imweldome  visitors,  crossed  the 
]i0j9siaii^^with:vth^  mast  vakable  effiocts  and  slaves, 
and  j^ella!e4  -IhcemiK^^es  "nnd^  thr  Spanii^  flf%j  whi^h 


«Si 


a 


•If,  fifM/  r-"- 
,Lp^l1Hi1^'■»■•••-' 


■•I'  'If* 


114 


CAPTAm  WILLIITG's  EXPEDinOlt. 


floated  on  the  right  aide  of  the  river.  The  inhabitants 
on  the  left  bank  were  scattered  about,  they  were  few  in 
number,  and  therefore  could  not  make  any  effective 
resistance.  The  invaders  continued  up  as  far  aa  Natchez 
their  course  of  devastation,  laying  waste  the  plantations, 
destroying  the  stock,  applying  the  torch  of  the  incendiary 
to  the  edifices,  and  carrying  off  such  slaves  as  had  not 
followed  their  i.  asters  in  their  flight.  All  the  sympa- 
thies of  the  people  of  Louisiana  were  in  feyor  of  the 
Americans;  "but,**  says  Judge  Martin  in  his  history, 
"this  cruel,  wanton  and  unprovoked  conduct  towards  a 
helpless  community  was  viewed  with  great  indignation 
and  horror,  much  increased  by  the  circumstance  of  Wil- 
ling's  having  been  hospitably  received  and  entertained, 
the  preceding  year,  in  several  houses  which  he  now 
committed  to  the  flames.''  It  must  also  be  added,  that 
most  of  the  sufferers  by  these  acts  of  vandalism  wei'e 
well  known  in  New  Orleans,  where  they  used  to  resort 
to  supply  then*  wants,  or  for  social  intercourse ;  and  that 
all  of  them  had  more  or  less  expensive  relations  with  the 
Spanish  portion  of  Louisiana,  in  whose  families  some  of 
them  had  married.  This  contributed  to  draw  from  those 
inhabitants  a  keener  reprobation  of  the  conduct  Of  Oap- 
tain  Willing,  who  was  looked  upon  as  having  acted 
more  like  an  Indian  warrior  thar  a  civilized  enemy. 

The  Americans,  however,  did  not  choose  to  attempt 
retaining  possesolon  of  these  posts,  or  of  any  portion  of 
the  territory  they  had  thus  devastated.  In  connection 
with  these  events,  Villars  and  Favre  D'Aunoy,  the  French 
conunissionei^  at  New  Orleans,  wrote  to  their  government : 
"The  Spaniards  here  see  with  regret  these  conquests, 
because  it  cuts  off  their  hope  of  executing  them  on  their 
own  account,  and  of  thereby  securing  for  themst^ves  the 
exclusive  possession  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Besides,  they 
feel  that  the  mildness  and  the  other  advantages  of  the 


.'^' 


MS™' 


17EW  FAOILITDES  OBAIT.        TO  COMHEftOE  VSC  111^.      1 15 

dimate  of  Lotiisiana  may  seduce  the  Americans,  and 
attract  them  to  a  region,  from  which  the  communication 
with  the  Oulf  of  Mexico  begins  to  be  better  and  more 
practically  known,  presenting  but  trifling  difficulties,  &c. 
Therefore,  it  is  the  interest  of  Spain  that  France  should 
recover  the  possession  of  Louisiana." 

Such  was  not,  however,  the  opinion  of  the  Spanish 
government,  which,  to  increase  the  prosperity  of  the 
colony,  and  to  bring  relief  to  the  distresses  from  which 
it  was  suffering,  was  disposed  to  relax  the  severity  of 
the  commercial  restrictions  undeT*  which  it  was  placed. 
In  accordance  with  this  more  judicious  policy,  which  was, 
at  last,  forcing  itself  upon  the  councils  of  Spain,  Galvez, 
by  a  proclaniation  of  the  20th  of  April,  1Y78,  in  order 
to  facilitate  the  sale  of  the  produce  of  the  colony,  per- 
mitted i1^  exportation  to  any  of  the  ports  of  France* 
This  proclamation  had  been  preceded  by  one  issued  on 
the  17th,  which  granted  a  similar  privilege  of  trading 
with  any  part  of  the  United  States. 

By  a  royal  order  of  the  4th  of  May,  17Y8,  the  indem- 
nity to  be  paid  to  owners  of  slaves  sentenced  tO  death, 
perpetual  labor  and  transportation,  or  of  runaway  slaves 
killed  in  the  attempt  made  to  arrest  them,  was  fixed  at 
two  hundred  dollars  a  head ;  but,  in  this  latter  case,* 
the  indemnity  was  due  only  to  those  who  had  previously 
consented  to  pay  a  proportion  of  the  price  of  the  slaves 
thus  killed,  which  proportion  was  to  be  deducted  from 
the  indemnity. 

The  province  was  reviving  under  the  healthful  influ- 
ence of  the  eirtension  of  its  commercial  franchises,  when 
it  received  a  considerable  accession  to  its  population  by 
the  arrival  of  a  ^-.umber  of  families,  transported  to  Loui- 
,^ana  from  the  Canary  Islands,  at  the  kjng^s  expense. 

*  Martin's  Histoiy  of  LottiinanB.  Tj^I.  tL,  Ik  4& 


*»- 


*- 


'■  TaffSKKtf, 

1 

•;^^K 

(f^  ■  IH&TaKtt'aflUirat 

yjHKvVyg^ 

<hf^^^^^ 

{U 

^  YrT 


III::  : ^:r  : 


i.j.'Ji+Vl.ll 


HI. 

ill 

i 

if- 

sS 

11(5      SPANISH  COLO^..i«  FROM  THB  CANARY  ISLANDS. 

Some  of  them,  under  the  command  of  Marigny  de  Man- 
deviUe^  settled  at  Terre  atuo  Bomfa^  on  a  tract  of  land 
now  included  in  the  parish  of  St.  Bernard;  others,  under 
the  g*iidance  of  St.  Maxent,  located  themselves  near 
Bayou  Manchac,  at  about  twenty-four  miles  from  the 
town  of  Baton  Rouge,  where  they  established  a  village 
which  they  called  Gal vezton;  the  rest  formed  J;hat  of 
Venezuela,  on  Bayou  Lafourche.  The  government  car- 
ried its  parental  solicitude  so  far  as  to  build  a  house  for 
each  family,  and  a  church  for  each  settlement.  These 
emigrants  were  very  poor,  and  were  supplied  with  cattle, 
fowls  and  farming  utensils ;  r.ition8  were  furnished  them 
for  a  period  of  four  years,  out  of  the  king's  stores,  and 
considerable  pecuniary  assistance  was  afforded  to  them.* 
Their  descendants  are  now  known  under  t^^^  name  of 
IsUngiiea^  which  is  derived  from  the  Spanish  word, 
Islmos^  meaning  islanders. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that,  by  an  ordinan\;e  pro- 
mulgated when  bpain  took  possession  of  Louisiana,  in 
1766,  vessels  from  New  Orleans  were  restricted  to  sail 
fco  six  Spanish  ports  only.  Persisting  in  the  new  and 
wiser  course  of  policy  into  which  he  had  lately  entered, 
the  king  put  Louisiana  On  the  same  footing  with  his 
more  favored  colonies,  and  opened  to  her  vessels  any  of 
the  ports  of  the  Peninsula  to  which  the  commerce  of  the 
Indies  was  permittedi  Furthea'more,  the  exportation  of 
furs  and  peltries  from  Louisiana  was,  at  the  same  time, 
encouraged  by  an  exemption  from  duty  for  a  period  of 
ten  years,  and  it  was  oiUy  on  their  re-exportation  from 
Spain  that  the  ordinary  duty  was  to  be  paid. 

This  was  a, step  towards  liberality,  but  what  seemed 
to  the  colonists  to  be  a  departure  from  it  was  the  prohi- 
bition of  the  introduction  and  reading  of  a  French  book, 

^Msitin'sHiatory  of  Louisiana,  yoL  i^  p.  48. 


vr 

th 
m 
of 
bo( 

m 

Inq 

kin^ 

prej 

had 

read 

were 

deen 

only 

mind 

perus 

secur< 

in  his 

vidua] 

Florid 

Orleai 

fidelity 

great  ] 

desirec 

For 

in  Lou 

entirely 

FavTe  c 

1778,  « 

three  m 

the  mas 

chao  fleti 

their  CO! 

Spaniard 


v*i 


i-'>  ■!''.' 


THE  XnfO£I8H  TBADB  EZOLUDSD  FROM 


<^L<)ir     117 


written  by  Mercier,  and  entitled :  "  The  year  two 
thousand  four  hundred  and  forty."  The  Governor  was 
instructed  to  proceed  to  the  destruction  of  every  copy 
of  it  which  might  be  found  in  the  province.  Another 
book  reprobated  by  the  royal  decree  was  Robertson^s 
History  of  America.  The  formidable  tribunal  of  the 
Inquisition  had  condemned  Mercier^s  book;  and  the 
king,  or  rather  his  all-powerful  minister,  Joseph  Galvez, 
president  of  the  council  of  the  Indies,  thought  that  he 
had  good  reasons  to  prevent  his  Majesty's  subjects  firom 
reading  certain  remarks,  or  statemente  of  facts,  which 
were  contained  in  Robertson's  History,  and  which  he 
deemed  to  be  false  and  slanderous.  At  this  time,  not 
only  was  the  king  considerate  enough  to  wish  that  the 
minds  of  his  subjects  should  not  be  contammated  by  the 
perusal  of  dangerous  books,  but  also  was  he  anxious  to 
secure  the  allegi^ce  even  of  the  foreigners  who  resided 
in  his  dominions.  Thus,  a  considerable  number  of  indi- 
viduals  from  the  United  States,  from  West  and  East 
Florida,  and  from  other  parts,  who  had  settled  in  New 
Orleans,  were  required  to  depart,  or  ta  take  an  oath  of 
fidelity  to  his  Catholic  Majesty.  In  such  a  dilemma^  the 
great  majority  of  them  chose  to  swear  as  they  were 
desired. 

For  many  years,  the  English  had  not  fared  so  badly 
in  Louisiana.  Now,  their  trade  with  the  colony  was 
entirely  ruined.  "The  British  flag,"  say  Villars  and 
Favre  d'Aunoy,  in  a  despatch  dated  on  the  18th  of  July, 
1778,  "has  noi  appeared  in  this  river  for  more  than 
three  months,  or,  at  least,  it  is  only  to  be  seen  flying  at 
the  mast-head  of  a  frigate  destined  to  protect  the  Man- 
chac  settlement.  The  duties  to  be  paid  by  our  ships,  on 
their  coming  here,  ar&  reduced  every  day,rbeo««[se  the 
Spaniards  are-made  more  tractabltel  by  the  need  imvhidt 


.^ 


♦i' 


.:i> 


*:• 


« 


P4l 


if. 


'^, 


118  THE  COIITIBOATIOX  OF  NOTAN*B  1STAT& 

they  stand  of  our  commerce.    Finally,  the  whole  trade 
of  the  MisBissippi  is  now  in  our  hands." 

On  the  20th  of  August,  Villars,  one  of  the  French 
commissioners,  wrote  a  despatch  in  which  he  informed 
his  government  of  the  steps  he  had  taken,  to  obtain  the 
reversal  of  the  decree  by  which  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment had  confiscated  the  property  of  the  brother  of 
Noyan,  one  of  the  unfoiiunate  colonists  who  had  been 
shot  by  O'Reilly's  order.  This  brother,  who  was  called 
Bienville  after  his  uncle,  the  founder  of  New  Orleans, 
had  taken  a  part  in  the  conspiracy  against  the  Spaniards, 
and  had  been  sent,  as  an  emissary,  to  the  English  com- 
mander at  Pensacola,  to  propose,  in  the  name  of  the 
insurgents,  that  the  colony  be  put  under  the  protection 
of  the  English  as  an  independent  republic.  On  the 
death  of  his  elder  brother,  he  assumed  the  name  and 
title  of  Chevalier  de  Noyan.  Villars'  despatch  on  the 
subject  is  as  follows : 

"  The  Chevalier  de  Noyan,  lieutenant  of  a  ship  of  the 
line,  died  in  the  month  of  March  last,  at  St.  DomingOv 
where  he  had  gone  into  copartnership  with  the  Baron  de 
Breteuil.  As  be  was  one  of  the  instigators  of  the  revo- 
lution of  1738,  General  O'Reilly,  who  was  clothed  with 
the  most  extensive  powers,  ordered  the  sequestration  of 
his  property ;  but,  as  it  was  not  sold,  and  as  its  revenues 
were  merely  deposited  in  the  king's  treasury,  without 
being  approj/xiatod  by  him  to  the  royal  domain,  it  wfw 
inferred  that  tht,'  object  of  his  Miyesty  was  to  deprive 
the  Chevalier  de  Noyan,  for  some  years,  of  his  income, 
and  thereby  to  cut  him  off  from  the  means  of  living  in 
comfort,  but  with  the  reserved  intention  of  putting  an 
end  to  the  punishment  by  restoring  the  culprit,  on  a 
future  day,  to  the  possession  of  his  property.  Viewing 
the  case  in  this  light,  the  Duke  de  Duras,  the  Coaut.de 


Vei^ 

thej 

repei 

ambf 

citati 

But  1 

coursi 

innoc< 

into  q 

king, 

fore  d 

Now  t 

of  mal 

childre 

cil  of 

forwar< 

This 

though 

away,  t 

judicia 
This  d< 
emphat 
by  putt 
incurret 
popular 
the  uny 
duty  of 
Inth 
theo  de 
oflice  of 
In  ad 
hisgove 
lionisian; 


M^.% 

"M 


^♦■♦s 


f  ■ 


^W! 


OTUEB  OOIONIBIB  fBOM  THI  OANART  mLANDA.     110 


VergDones,  and  the  Baron  de  Breteuil,  as  the  kinsmen, 
the  protectors  and  the  friends  of  the  Chevalier  de  Noyan, 
repeatedly  addressed  to  the  conrt  of  Spab,  through  onr 
ambassador,  the  Marqnis  d'Ossuri  the  most  pressing  soli- 
citations  to  ohtfun  a  decree  raising  the  sequestration. 
But  these  gentlemen  pursned,  I  believe,  an  impolitic 
coarse.  They  grounded  their  application  on  Noyan's 
innocence,  which  they  oonld  not  establish  without  calling 
into  question  the  justice  of  Count  O'Reilly,  and  of  tbe 
king,  who  had  ratbAed  the  conduct  of  his  agent.  T' ♦  f 
fore  did  the  court  of  Spain  refuse  to  grant  their  r  .^  m" 
Now  that  M.  de  Noyan  is  dead,  is  the  moment,  or  ar  v 
of  making  a  last  effort  in  the  interest  of  his  wide  ^ 

children.  I  have  prepared  for  the  president  of  tUo  . .  aii- 
cil  of  Indies  a  memorial,  which  Governor  Galvez  will 
forward  and  will  support  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.** 

This  shows  that  it  was  then  known  in  the  colony,  al- 
though this  knowledge  appears  to  have  since  faded 
away,  that  O'Reilly  had  come  to  Louisiana  toith  the  moat 
extensive  powers^  and  that  the  king  had  appt'oved  the 
judicial  tragedy  of  which  this  officer  was  the  author. 
This  despatch,  with  many  other  authentic  documents, 
emphatically  contradicts  the  tradition  that  CountO'Reilly, 
by  putting  to  death  Lafreni^re  and  his  companions,  had 
incurred  the  displeasure  of  his  royal  master — which 
popular  belief,  like  most  traditions,  is  not  supported  by 
the  unyielding  and  uncompromising  facts  which  it  id  the 
duty  of  history  to  record. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year,  1T79,  Don  Juan  Doro- 
theo  del  Portege  succeeded  Don  Cecilio  Odoardo  u^  the 
office  of  auditor  of  war  and  assessor  of  government. 

In  a  despatch  of  the  15th  of  January,  Galvez  informed 
his  government  of  another  accession  to  the  population  of 
Lommimay  by  the  arrival  of  499  individuals  from  the 


ill 


-m 


« 


« 


s   ''.^i" 


•1       a 


l7'^;.; 


^^^t 

m 

^^^^^^ 

'^^ 

ffill 

'S 

i 

i.'P         ■  t: 


■; 


I 


\n\. 


120   RAVAGES  OF  THE  SMALL-POX  AND  OF  HURRICANES. 

Canary  Islands,  who  had  come  to  the  colony  at  the  king's 
expense.  They  received  as  favorable  ,a  treatment,  at 
least,  as  their  predecessors ;  nay,  greater  advantages  were 
granted  to  them,  for  it  appears  that  some  of  the  emigrant 
famiUes,  besides  the  lands,  the  cattle,  rations,  pecuniary 
and  other  aid  given  to  them,  received  the  splendid  do- 
nation of  between  three  and  four  thousand  dollars.  This 
certainly  was  a  very  handsome  beginning  at  the  time,  in 
a  new  countiy,  offering  so  many  resources.  According 
to  the  government's  direction,  these  people  were  trans- 
ported to  the  district  of  the  Attakapas,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Bouligny,  and  formed,  on  Bayou  Techc,  a  set- 
tlement then  called  New  Iberia.  They  attempted  the 
cultivation  oi  flax  and  hemp,  but  without  success ;  and 
most  of  them  abandoned  agricultural  pursuits,  to  confine 
their  industry  entirely  to  the  raising  of  cattle,  to  which 
they  were  naturally  invited  by  the  luxuriant  and  bound- 
less prairies  that  surrounded  them  on  every  side. 

Almost  at  the  same  time^  there  came  to  the  province, 
for  its  spiritual  relief,  by  the  order  and  at  the  charge  of 
the  king,  six  capuchin  friars,  one  of  whom,  named  Anto- 
nio de  Sedella,  lived  to  extreme  old  age  in  Louisiana,  and 
died  in  1829,  leaving  behind  him  a  spotless  reputation 
and  an  honored  memory. 

One  of  the  most  serious  afflictions  of  the  colony,  in 
this  year,  as  in  the  preceding  ones,  was  the  small  pox, 
which  proved  very  fatal  in  New  Orleans,  and  on  the 
plantations  above  and  below.  It  appears  to  have  be^, 
for  many  years,  in  Louisiana,  the  disease  most  prevalent 
and  most  feared;  Hurricanes  seem  also  to  have  been 
one  of  its  chief  scourgesy  and  their  frequency  was  really 
astonishing.  Galvez,  in  a  despatch  of  the  15th  of 
Jimuary,  1779,  speaks  of  one  which  had  raged  from  the 
7th  to  the  10th  of  October^  1778,  with  such  violence, 


^^ 


■^ 


* 


i 


thai 
do 
the 
B 
from 
were 
nised 
elude 
aflS^rc 
natur 
a  dec] 
when 
tions  1 
a^eec 
I'ent  p 
States, 
land,  a 
oi  the 
wined 
against 
withoul 
with  its 
issued 
of  Spai 

On 

formal 

the  8th 

take  th( 

the  Eng 

been  mc 

energetic 

career  w 

of  the  oo 

attack  ag 

submitte 


t: 


4| 


..*•. 


SPAIN  DECLAEES   WAR  AGAINST  ENGLATH).  121 

that  the  sea  rose  higher  than  it  had  ever  been  known  to 
do  before,  destroying  entirely  all  the  establishments  at 
the  Balize,  Bayou  St.  John,  and  Tigouyoni 

But  the  attention  of  the  inhabitants  was  diverted 
from  these  calamities  by  stirmig  events,  in  which  they 
were  called  to  take  a  part.  Thus,  Prance,  havmg  recog- 
nised the  independence  of  the  United  States,  had  con- 
cluded a  treaty  of  alliance  and  commerce  with  them  and 
afforded  them  considerable  succor.  England,  yery 
naturally,  considered  such  proceedings  as  equivalent  to 
a  declaration  of  war,  and  hostilities  had  actually  begun, 
when  Spain  offered  her  mediation,  and  made  proposi- 
tions tending  to  secure  a  general  peace^  which  was  t^  be 
agreed  upon  in  a  meeting  of  the  ministers  of  the  bellige- 
rent powers  at  Madrid,  including  those  of  the  United 
States.  But  this  wdi»  not  palatable  to  the  pride  of  Eng- 
land, and,  on  the  rejection  by  the  cal^et  of  St.  James 
of  the  terms  offered  by  Spain,  the  Catholic  King  deter- 
mined to  join  his  cousin  of  France  in  the  coming  struggle 
against  Great  Britain.  H&  ambassador  left  London 
without  taking  leave,  and  the  British  government,  acting 
with  its  customary  energy  and  promptilJude,  immediately 
issued  letters  of  marque  against  the  ship&  and  subjecta 
of  Spain. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  the  King  of  Spain  ^blished  a 
formal  declaration  of  war  against  Great  Brit^,  and,  on 
the  8th  of  July,  authorized  his  subjects  in  America  to 
take  their  share  in  the  hostilities  to  be  waged  against 
the  English  and  their  ^Ktssessions.  No  news  could  have 
been  more  welcome  to  Galvea.  He  was  yotog,  bold, 
energetic,  and  he  felt  that  his  talents  were  equal  to  the 
career  which  was  opening  before  him.  Avallin|^  himself 
of  the  occasion  with  ida&rity,  he  immediately  pltomed  an 
attack  against  the  nei^boring  English  possessions,  and 
submitted  it  to  a  council  of  war.  ..It  wits  composed  of 


■  .■■»,'. 


I' 


f» 


» 


f    *: 


«». 


12i 


QALVEZ'  MILltART  PREPABATlONS. 


men  of  a  less  fiery  spirit,  who  rejected  his  proposition, 
and  recommended  that  all  offensive  action  be  suspended 
until  reinforcements  be  received  fi'om  Havana.  They 
also  advised  that,  in  the  mean  time,  Galvez  should  con-' 
fine  all  his  exertions  to  the  execution  of  the  best  mea- 
Siires  that  might  be  devised  for  the  defence  of  the 
colony. 

Gralvez'  mind  was  not  so  constituted  as  to  induce  lum 
to  submit  implicitly  to  the  decision  of  his  advisers,  and 
he  acted  as  men  of  his  temperament  usually  do  in  similar 
circumstances.  He  had  convened  a  council  of  war,  in 
the  hope  that  it  would  agree  with  him,  but  as  it  did  not, 
he  resolved  to  act  on  his  own  responsibility.  He  had 
discovered  by  intercepted  letters  from  Natchez,  that  the 
English  intended  to  surprise  New  Orleans,*  and  he  con- 
cluded to  ward  off  the  blow  by  being  the  first  to  attack, 
when  he  was  thought  to  be  hardly  capable  of  defence. 
He  labored  under  the  apprehension  that,  if  the  English 
once  possessed  themselves  of  both  banks  of  the  river 
down  to  its  mouth,  they  might  then  find  themselves  in 
a  situation  to  carry  the  war  into  New  Mexico  and  the 
other  provinces  of  New  Spain.  These  were  strong  con- 
siderations, which  weighed  on  his  mind,  and  which 
stimulated  his  zeal.  Under  the  pretext  of  preparing'  for 
defence,  he  proceeded  with  indefatigable  activity  to  pre- 
pare for  carrying  uito  Execution  his  secret  designs,  which 
he  intrusted  only  to  Don  Juan  Antonio  Gayarre,  whom 
he  appointed  commissary  of  war  for  the  projected  expe- 
dition. He  had  proposed  to  march  against  the  enemy 
on  the  22nd  of  Augusfc,  resolving  t6  call  togethel^, 
previously,  on  the  20th,  all  the  inhabitants  who  were  at 
hand,  and  whom  he  intended  to  invite  to  foUow  him. 
But,  on  the  18th,  a  hurricane,  that  well-known  visiter  of 

**  Sappl«mento  &  k  Ghuwtta  de'Madri4  de  ViemM^  14  de  Enero  de  lYSOL 


^'  : 


m 


# 


thai 

iutl 

New 

prov 

and  ( 

allth 

out  t] 

readii 

Missis 

which 

commj 

This 

all  the 

if,  int] 

time  wj 

not  suf 

the  Ind 

hundrec 

possess! 

original 

Don  Jui 

But  in  t 

to  provi( 

which  is 

of  an  em 

to  tax  hi 

impatient 

his  task, 

time,  unti 

the  coloni 

in  spite  o: 

country  t 
which,'*^  Bi 

the2&tho 
iis:finalsu 


■-.k*. 


« 


GALVEZ^  MILITABT   PBEFABATIONS. 


128 


the  cotmtay,  suddenly  bur^t  out  with  such  violence,  that, 
in  three  hours,  it  destroyed  a  large  number  of  houses  in 
New  Orleans,  the  greater  part  of  the  dwellings  and  im- 
provements on  the  ban^  of  the  river,  for  forty  miles  up 
and  down,  swept  off  like  chaff  all  the  crops,  killed  almost 
aU  thcl  cattle,  and  spread  general  consternation  through- 
out tUt  province.  AU  the  vessels  which  Galvez  had  in 
readiness  for  the  expedition  went  to  the  bottom  of  the 
Mississippi,  with  the  exception  of  the  frigate,  El  VblarUe, 
which  was  saved  by  the  intrepidity  and  skill  of  its 
commander,  Luis  Lorenzo  de  Terrazas. 

This  was  a  sad  and  unexpected  reverse,  disconcerting 
all  the  measures  of  the  Govemor.  But  reflecting  that 
if,  in  the  state  of  prostration  in  which  the  colony  was, 
time  was  given  to  the  English,  whose  establishments  had 
not  suffered  from  the  hurricane,  they  coidd,  by  calling 
the  Indians  to  their  assistance,  take  the  field  with  fifteen 
hundred  men,  and  secure  the  conquest  of  the  Spanish 
possessions,  he  made  up  his  mind  to  persevere  in  his 
original  intentions,  ahd  ordered  the  conmiissary  of  T^a^, 
Don  Juan  Antonio  Gayarre,  to  renew  his  preparations. 
But  in  the  exhausted  state  of  the  colony,  it  was  not  easy 
to  provide  all  those  various  elements,  the  combination  of 
which  is  necessary  to  secure  {he  success  of  the  invasion 
of  an  enemy's  territory,  and  the  commissary  c£^  war  had 
to  tax  his  Energy  and  ability  to  the  utniost  to  satisfy  the 
impatience  of  his  chief.  He  had  to  apply  himself  to 
his  task,  day  and  night,  and  allow  himself  no  breathing 
time,  until  it  was-completed.  Galvez,  in  ord^  to  induce 
the  colonists  to  join  hun  in  the  opntemplated  expedition, 
in  spite  of  the  circumstances  of  desolation  'i^  which  the 
country  then  was,  had  recourse  to  an  expediei^  -to 
which,*'  says  the  supplement  %  theJMEadrid  Graieette  of 
the  2M  of  August,  1780,  '^he  was  ui  part  indebted  fixr 
his  final  suec^."  < 


# 


0: 


#. 


^ 


4 


m 


sRi 


^ 


iiirM 


124 


M^ 


QALVEZ'  ADDRESS  TO  THE  LOUTSIANIAIfS. 


With  the  official  communication  of  the  declaration  of 
war,  Galvez,  who  was  only  governor  ad  interim,  Lad 
received  intelligence  that  the  king  had  confirmed  him  in 
the  government  of  Louisiana.  But  he  had  concealed 
this  fact,  in  order  that  it  should  not  be  known  that  he 
had  heard  from  Madrid.  He  now  convened  the  inhar 
bitants  on  the  public  square  at  New  Orleans,  disc^irsed 
on  the  miserable  condition  of  the  province,  and  regretted 
that,  in  such  untoward  circumstances,  he  had  to  inform 
them  that  war  had  been  declared  against  Great  Britain, 
and  that  he  had  received  strict  orders  to  put  the  colony 
in  a  state  of  defence,  because  an  attack  was  anticipated. 
He  then  showed  them  his  commission  as  governor  of 
Louisiana  under  the  royal  patent.  "Gentlemen,"  said 
he,  addressing  them  with  the  energy  of  language  and 
sentiment  which  was  suited  to  the  occasion,  "I  cannot 
avail  myself  of  my  commission,  without  previously  swear- 
ing before  the  cabUdo,  that  I  shall  defend  the  province; 
but,  although  I  am  disposed  to  shed  the  laslr  drop  of  my 
blood  for  Louisiana  and  for  my  king,  I  cannot  take  an 
oath  which  I  may  be  exposed  to  violate,  because  I  do 
not  know  whether  you  will  help  me  in  resisting  the 
ambitious  designs  of  the  English.  What  do  you  say  ? 
Shall  I  take  the  oath  f  JovemT>r?  Shall  I  swear^  to 
defend  Louisiana  ?  WiU  you  stand  by  me,  and  conquer 
or  die  with  your  governor  and  for  your  king?"  So 
saying,  with  the  left  hand  he  displayed  the  royal  com- 
mission, under  the  broad  seal  of  Spain,  and,  with  the 
right,  he  drew  his  sword  witk  an  expression  of  heroic 
determination.  An  immense  and  enthusiastic  acclama- 
tion was  the  -answer.  ^  Fefff  not  taking  your  oath  of 
office,"  cried  the  ciowd,  as  if  with  one  voice;  "for  the 
defence  of  LoTiisiana,  and  for  the  service  ©f  the  king,  we 
tender 'you  our  Kves,  and  we  wouid  say  our  ^rtunes,  if 
we  had  any  remaining.'*    On  the  spot,  Galvez  went 


JSf 


>'^;- 


m 


# 


thi'c 
incr 
tion, 
prep 
the  <: 
St] 
outtj 
to  wi 
lish  T 
Orlea] 
hnrric 
had  n 
guriboi 
had  su 
were  p 
one  tw 
undtrt] 
iis  heal 
crityof 
gouptl 
tc»  supp 
gave  the 
which  w 
Piernas, 

province, 
troHer,  I 

^  comtna 
«Qdertak( 
came  Bo] 

^^nunissaj 
^ere  to  b 
dition. 

On  ti© 
governor^ 


OALYDZ  BBABY  TO  ATTAOE  THE  ENGLISH. 


125 


through  the  ceremcmy  of  his  installatioi^  amidst  the 
increasing  enthusiasm  and  shouts  of  the  whole  popular 
tion,  and,  immediately:  after,  hastened  to  accelerate  his 
preparations,  with  the  united  assistance  and  efforts  of 
the  colonists. 

Still  concealing  his  real  designs,  the  governor  gave 
out  that  he  was  going  to  post  his  ti-oops  in  those  places 
to  which  he  expected  that  the  first  attacks  of  the  Eng- 
lish would  be  directed*  He  ordered  down  to  New 
Orleans  all  the  boats  which  had  been  spared  by  the 
hurricane,  at  those  points  on  the  river  where  its  violence 
had  not  been  so  much  felt.  One. schooner  and  three 
gunboats  wei'e  raised  out  of  the  river,  into  which  they 
had  sunk,  and  the  provisions,  ammanition  and  artillery 
were  put  in  them.  The  artillery  c  jusisted  of  ten  pieces, 
one  twenty-four,  five  eighteen,  and  four  four-pounders, 
undbf  the  command  of  Don  Julien  Alvarez,  who,  although 
his  health  was  greatly  impaired,  took  chaige  with  ala- 
crity of  the  trust  i-eposed  in  him.  This  small  fleet  was  to 
go  up  the  river  at  the  same  time  with  the  army,  in  order 
to  supply  its  wants.  On  the  26th  of  August,  Galvez 
gave  the  command  of  New  Orieans  and  of  the  garrison 
which  was  left  in  it  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  Don  Pedro 
Piemaa,  and  delivered  up  the  civil  administration  of  the 
province,  during  his  absence,  to  the  contador>  or  cc  ^^ap- 
troller,  Don  Martin  Navarro.  He  appointed  as  second 
in  command  to  himself,  in  the  campa^  which  he  was  to 
undertake.  Colonel  Don  Manuel  Gonzales;  next  in  rank 
came  Don  Estevon  Mir6i,  and  Jacinto  Paois,  with  the 
commissary  of  woi',  Don  Juan  A^nio  G<ayarr6,  These 
were  to  be  under  him  liie  tpriucipiil  actors  »itihe^2cpe* 

On  thee  Stth^-  these  ^jaiTai%emeot8;i  lieii^  made,  the 
governor  took >  his  departure :  i&vthft/iQipQdag^  to  reerak 
at  1^6  G^nMin  and  Aoadida|  Cpasta  idl  4hf  men  that  he 


m^ 


a. 


m 


i^^ 


m 


%' 


126 


DEPABtlTBE  OF  TEIE  EXPEDITION. 


might  prevail  upon  to  join  him.  On  the  same  day,  in 
the  afternoon,  his  small  army  put  itself  in  motion.  It 
was  composed  of  170  veteran  soldiers,  830  recruits,  20 
carabiniers,  60  militiamen,  and  80  free  blacks  and  mu- 
lattoes,  of  Oliver  Pollock,  the  agent  of  the  Amierican 
Congress,  with  nine  of  his  countrymen,  as  volunteers — 
making  a  total  of  670  men,  without  one  single  engineer 
among  them,  says  the  Supplement  to  the  Madrid  Gazette, 
which  relates  all  the  details  of  this  expedition.  They 
were  reinforced  on  the  way  by  600  men  of  every  condi- 
tion and  color,  besides  100  Indians,  who  had  been 
gathered  up  at  the  Geiman  Coast,  at  the  Acadian  Coast, 
at  Opeloussas,  Attakapas  and  Pointe  Coup6e.  These 
troops,  when  united,  formed  a  body  of  fourteen  hundred 
and  thirty  men.  Although  they  were  provided  with  no 
tents,  and  with  none  of  those  articles  which  pre  usually 
deemed  necessary  to  an  army  entering  upon  a  campaign, 
yet  they  marched  on  with  unabated  ard^r,  and  much 
order,  through  the  thick  woods  which,  at  that  time, 
shaded  a  considerable  portion  of  the  banks  of  the  river. 
With  a  view  to  guard  against  surprises,  the  colored  inen 
and  the  Indians  were  ordered  to  keep  ahead  of  the  main 
bodj  of  the  troops,  at  a  distance  of  about  three  quarters 
of  a  mile,  and  closely  to  reconnoitre  the  woods.  Next 
came  the  veteran  troops,  whose  left  was  protected  by 
the  river  and  by  the  artillery  of  the  boats,  and  whose 
right  rested  on  the  forest.  The  militia  formed  the  rear 
guar  d. 

Oi  the  6th  of  September  (1779)  the  Spaniards  caine 
in  sigiit  of  Fort  Manchac,  situated  at  a  distance  of  about 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  miles  lh>m  New  Orleans,  ^at 
disease  and  the  fatigues  of  the  journey  had  caused  a 
diminution  of  more  than  one  t&ifd  in  their  numberi;  It 
was  (mly  when  he^^iras  about  a  mile  and  a  half  fn»n  the 
fort,  that  Gal^ez  informed  his  troops  of  the  declaration 


of  I 

tion 

This 

tiong 

close 

a  pa 

hiins< 

On 

in  an 


m 


-m 


m 


^m^ 


m 


*■ 


70BI  KANOHAO  CABRIED  BY  STORM. 


127 


o!  war  against  the  English,  and  of  the  positive  instrnc 
tions  he  hao  received  to  attack  their  establishments. 
This  communieation  was  responded  to  with  demonstra- 
tions of  joy;  a  general  disposition  was  shown  to  come  to 
close  c^narter.?  with  the  enemy,  and  there  was  exhibited 
a  patriotic  emulation,  as  to  which  should  distingoish 
himself  most  in  the  service  of  the  king.  % 

On  the  7th,  in  the  morning,  the  regulars  were  posted 
in  an  advantageous  position,  with  the  intention  of  op- 
posing them  to  a  body  of  four  hundred  Englishmen  who 
were  said  to  be  coming  with  artillery  and  provisions  to 
the  relief  of  Manchac,  and  the  assault  was  given  to  the 
fort  by  the  militia,  with  complete  success.  Gilbert  An- 
toine  do  St.  Maxent,  brother-in-law  to  ex-Goverpor 
Unzaga,  was  the  first  who  entered  the  fort  through  one 
of  its  embrasures.  The  garrison  was  composed  of  a 
captain,  a  first  lieutenant  and  a  second  lieutenant,  with^^ 
twenty  privates,  of  whom  one  was  killed,  and  five 
escaped  with  one  of  the  lieutenants.  The  rest  remained 
prisoners  of  war.    This  certainly  was  no  great  exploit. 

On  the  8th,  the  inventory  of  the  fort  was  made;  six 
days  of  rest  were  allowed  to  the  troops;  and,  on  the 
13th,  they  resumed  their  march  for  Baton  Bouge,  which 
is  only  fifteen  miles  from  Manchac.  At  a  mile  and  a 
half  from  Baton  Bouge,  the  army  took  its  quarters,  and 
the  artjUery  was  landed  from  the  boats.  Already  had 
Grand  Prfe,  with  all  the  forces  which  he  had  been  able 
to  bring  with  him  from  Pointe  Coup6e,  occupied  a  posi- 
tion between  Baton  Bouge  and  NateheS;  in  order  to 
interrupt  all  fsommunication  between  these  two  places, 
as  he  actually  did,  after  havi)ig  post^esRcd  himself  of  two 
English  postg^  om  of  which  was  on  Th(mipsan'<s  Oreek, 
aQ4  ^he  oth^  on  the  Amite,  foi?oing  their  ^tstx^iolm  to 


,* 


m 


Si 


^ 


a 


■^^^' 


■    ijPf 


# 


'^ 


128 


SIEGE  OP  BATON  ROUGE. 


Governor  Galvez,  having,  with  some  ^fficera,  recon- 
noitred the  foi-t  of  Baton  Rouge,  saw  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  carry  it  by  storm,  on  account  of  its 
strength.  This  fort  was  surrounded  by  a  ditch,  eighteen 
feet  wide  and  nine  in  depth;  it  had,  besides,  very  high 
walls,  with  a  parapet  protected  with  clwvcmx  defrm^ 
and  a  garrison  of  four  hundred  regulars  and  one  hundred 
militiamen,  and  was  supplied  with  thirteen  pieces  of 
heavy  artillery.  The  governor  also  considered  that  the 
greater  portion  of  his  forces  consisted  of  natives  of  the 
country,  among  whom  there  were  man  heads  of  fami- 
lies, and  that  a  victory  would  be  dearly  bought  by  the 
blood  which  it  would  cost,  and  the  desolation  it  would 
spread  in  the  Dlony.  Therefore,  resisting  the  repeated 
and  pressing  solicitations  of  his  troops  to  be  led  to  the 
assault,  he  resolved  to  open  trenches  and  establish 
botteries. 

There  was  near  the  fort  a  wood  which  projected 
towards  it  in  the  shape  of  a  triangle.  This,  at  the  first 
glance,  seemed  the  most  favorable  spot  from  which  to 
attack,  and  this  the  governor  chose,  to  deceive  the  ene- 
my, and  to  divert  their  attention  from  the  point  where 
he  intended  to  carry  on  his  works.  Thither  he  sent  a 
detachment  of  militia,  supported  by  the  colored  compar 
nies  and  the  Indians,  in  order  that,  under  cover  of  the 
trees,  and  during  the  night,  they  should  make  as  much 
noise  as  possible,  and  simulate  an  a^tj>ck. 

The  English  wasted  and  spent  in  vain  their  ammuni- 
tion, by  firing  with  ball  and  gi'ape  at  that  part  of  the 
wood;  from  which  they  thought  they  v;ould  be  assailed, 
whilst,  in  t^e  meantime,  the  Spaniards^  without  being 
incommoded,  were  erectingth^  batteries  witMn  musket 
sljtQt  of  thp  fo^  behind  a  garden  which  concealed  their 
operatipns.    'Die  English  diacovered  ^efitrat^in  wh^?i 


it  w 

Oi 

brea] 
Julie 
that, 


in  the 
a  flag 
vez  w< 
toojffe 
at  dis< 
at  J^at 
rison,  c 
TheEc 
of  tweii 
which  1 
conside: 
with  mi 
from  ti 
flags,  ai 
troojw, 
dred  an 
despatcl 
of  Fort  1 
and  thir 
it  would 
cause  it  ^ 
was  diffi 
Kouge  ai 
ofmiJitiai 
They^wer 
securely  s 


4 


^. 


BATON  BOUGE  Aim  NATOHEZ  TAKEN. 


129 


it  was  too  late,  and  when  the  besiegers  had  succeeded  in 
ph altering  themselves  from  the  shot  of  their  enemies. 

Ou  the  following  day,  the  21st  of  September,  at  day- 
break, the  Spanish  batteries,  under  the  direction  of  Don 
Julien  Alvarez,  were  plied  with  such  accuracy  and  effect, 
that,  notwithstanding  the  briskness  of  the  fire  of  the 
besieged,  the  fort  was  so  dismantled  by  half  past  three 
in  the  afternoon,  that  the  English  sent  two  officera  with 
a  flag  of  truce,  to  propose  articles  of  capitulation.  Gal- 
vez  would  assent  to  no  terms  but  those  he  was  willing 
to  offer,  which  were — ^that  t^e  garrison  should  surrender 
at  discretion,  and,  at  the  same  time,  that  Fort  Famnure, 
at  Natchez,  should  be  delivered  up  to  him,  with  its  gar- 
rison, composed  of  eighty  grenadiers  and  their  officers., 
The  English  accepted  these  conditions,  and,  ftfter  a  delay 
of  twenty-four  hov-rs  which  was  granted  to  them  (during 
which  they  were  observed  to  be  engaged  in  burying  a 
considerable  number  of  dead  bodies),  they  came  out 
with  military  honors,  and  marched  five  hundred  paces 
from  the  fort,  when  they  delivered  up  their  arms  and 
flags,  and  remained  prisoners  of  war.  The  veteran 
troops,  which  thus  surrendered,  consisted  of  three  hun- 
dred and  se'^enty-five  men.  At  the  same  time,  Galvez 
despatched  a  captain  with  fifty  men,  to  take  possession 
of  Fort  Panmure,  at  Natchez,  which  is  about  one  hundred 
and  thirty  miles  distant  from  Bacon  Bouge.  This  fort 
it  would  have  been  very  difficult  to  carry  by  force,  be- 
cause it  was  situated  on  an  elevated  and  steep  hill,  and 
was  difficult  of  access.  In  these  two  forts  of  Baton 
Bouge  and  Natchez  was  found  a  considerable  number 
of  n^tiamen  and  i^  negroes,  with  arms  in  th^  hands. 
They^were  set  &ee  on  acKsonnt  (^  the  difficulty  of  keeping 
securely  so  many  prisoners. 

l^^liilsft  t^e  di^edi^ii  was  meeU^  with  so  mgnal  a 

9 


% 


*.3 


':,■%■: 


180 


NATAL  EXPLOIT  OF  YHfCEST  BIEUX. 


success,  the  fortune  of  war  was  also  declaring  itself  in 
favor  of  the  Spanittrds  in  other  parts  of  the  province. 
On  Lake  Pontchartrain,  an  American  schooner,  which  had 
been  fitted  up  at  New  Orleans  by  an  individual,  named 
Pikle,  boarded  and  captured  an  English  privateer,  called 
the  Weet  Florida,  and  much  superior  in  force  to  its  an- 
tagonist. The  Spanish  gunboats  also  captured  neai* 
Galvezton  three  schooners  and  a  small  brig  which  were 
returning  to  Pensacola,  one  schooner  which  they  met  on 
the  Mississippi,  and  two  cutters  loaded  with  provisions, 
which  were  coming  from  Pensacola,  through  Lakes 
Pontchartrain  and  Maurepas,  to  the  relief  of  the  English 
establishments. 

Another  English  cutter,  says  the  Madrid  Gazette  from 
which  I  quote,  was  taken  in  a  manner  wliich  deserves 
to  be  related.  One  Vincent  Kieux,  a  native  of  New  Or- 
leans, had  been  put  in  command  of  a  sloop  of  war,  to 
cruise  in  the  lakes.  On  his  coming  to  Bayou  Manchac, 
through  which  the  English  used  to  receive  all  their  sup- 
plies from  Pensacola,  having  been  informed  that  one  of 
their  barques,  well  armed,  and  well  laden  with  provisions 
apd  ammunition,  was  soon  expected,  he  landed  his  guns, 
cut  down  a  few  trees  to  form  a  sort  of  intrenchment,  and 
kept  himself  concealed  with  his  crew.  When  he  saw 
the  English  close  under  the  muzzles  of  his  guns,  he  sud- 
denly blazed  away  at  them,  and  raised  with  his  com- 
panions such  shouts  and  yells,that  the  enemy,  persuaded 
that  they  had  to  deal  with  at  least  five  hundred  men, 
fled  below  deck.  Bienx,  availmg  himself  of  their  panic, 
rugged  on  board,  closed  the  hatches,  and  captured  every 
soul  that  was  in  the  vessel.  The  prisoners  were;  one 
captain,  one  firdt  lieutenant,  two  second  lieutenant^  fifby- 
four  grenadiers  of  the  Waldeck  regiment,  and  from  ten 
to  twelve  sailors.    It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  t^eir 


m 


'.•«■ 


four 


Woh 


BXHAVIOR  OF  THE  MILITIA. 


181 


surprise,  when  they  found  themselTes  the  captives  of 
fourteen  men ;  these  were,  every  one  of  them,  Creoles  or 
natives  )f  Louisiana. 

In  short,  the  results  of  this  campaign  were  highly  flat- 
tering to  the  Spaii:«>h  arms.  ISght  vessels  and  three 
forts  had  been  te^en ;  Ave  hundred  and  fifty-six  regi^lars, 
besides  a  good  many  sailors,  militiamen  and  free  blacks 
had  been  made  prisoners,  among  whom  were  lieutenaht^ 
colonel  Dickson  and  many  other  officers.  Dickson  was 
the  commander  general  of  all  the  British  settlements  on 
the  Mississippi,  and  was  in  the  fort  of  Baton  Rouge,  when 
it  surrendered.  These  remarkable  advantages  had  been 
obtained,  hardly  with  the  loss  of  nny  blood  on  the  part 
of  the  Spaniards.  The  Louisiana  militiiif  behaved  with 
extraordinary  discipline  and  fortitude.  It  was  found 
difficult  to  restrain  their  ardor,  particularly  that  of  the 
Acadians,  who,  at  the  sight  of  the  British  troops,  beings 
inflamed  with  rage  at  the  recollection  of  their  old  in- 
juried,  were  eager  to  rush  on  those  who  had  desecrated 
their  hearths,  burned  their  paternal  roofe  to  the  ground, 
and  driven  them  into  exile  like  miserable  outlaws  and 
outcasts. 

The  companiesf  of  free  blacks  and  mulattoes,  who  had 
been  employed  in  all  the  false  attacks,  and  who,  as  scouts 
or  skirmishers,  had  pyeved  exceedingly  useM,  were  re- 
ported by  Galvez  to  his  government  as  having  behaved 


»'•.  f  =■•',>■ 


■    4-     .A 


*  Las  milioias  m  emplewon  con  indeoible  cdo  en  todos  los  trslMijpik  y  OTH  el 
aervioio  d«  la  artillerifl»  dando  constantes  prnebas  de  una  Bubordinaoion  ein 
Upiities ;  p^ies  poi>  ella  dexaron  muchas  veces  de  arrojane  aobre  los  eiiemigos, 
especialdtttbite  las  oompnfiias  de  Aeadianoa^  &  qvienes  enardeoia  4a  meraoria  ^  las 
o^eldadts  de  loa  Ingleaes  en  la  guerra  paaada  que  lea  obligawn  4  abandonar  sue 
domiciUoii,— Sap.  i  la  Qaz.  de  Madrid,  14  de  Enero  de  1780. 

f  No  merecen  menos  elogio'laa  eompMliaa  de  negros  y  molatdalibtea'qile 
siertipre  estnvieron  oeupedoa  en  las  abaniadasi,  fclfoa  Maqnea  y  .d<acttbierta%  eagCK 
peteandoM.Ma  el  enemigp,  y  j^rtandose  en  todaa  oeasi^ea  eon  taato  Yatot  y 
generosidid  onadlos  bk&eoi.^-^p.  A  la;  Ga&  d«4|l4rid|,  li  «i*  SaM^^d^  11%0, 


«^     §i^ 


'0         ■ 


133     GOOD   BEHAVIOR   OF  TlIE  BLACKS   AND  IlfDIANS. 

on  all  occasions,  with  as  much  valor  and  generosity  as 
the  whites. 

It  seems  that  even  the  Indians  showed  themselves,  for 
the  first  time,  alive  to  the  voice  of  humanity,  and  ab- 
stained from  doing  the  slightest  injury  to  the  fugitives 
whom  they  captured,  although  their  immemorial  custom 
was  to  treat  prisoners  with  the  most  horrible  cruelty^ — 
nay,  they  had  improved  so  much  as  to  carry  in  their 
arms  to  Galvez,  with  the  most  tender  care,  the  children 
who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  woods  with  their  mothers. 
This  change  in  their  habits  was  due  to  the  happy  in* 
fluence  exercised  over  them  by  Santiago  Taraocon  and 
Joseph  Sorelle,  of  Opeloussas,  who  were  both  well 
acquainted  with  their  language,  and  under  whose  com- 
mand they  had  been  placed  in  this  expedition. 

Having  accomplished  his  purposes,  Galvez  disbanded 
the  militia  and  sent  them  to  their  homes,  with  tha 
praises  and  the  rewards  which  they  deserved.  Charles 
de  Grand-Pr6,  brother-in-law  of  the  commissary  of  war, 
Don  Juan  Antonio  Gayarre,  was  left  in  command  of 
Baton  Rouge,  with  jurisdiction  over  two  officers  placed, 
the  one  at  Fort  Bute,  on  the  bank  of  Bayou  Manchac, 
and.  the  other  at  Fort  Panmuro,  at  Natchez.  In  order 
to  occupy  the  posts  which  h'3  had  conquered,  Galvez  had 
to  draw  largely  on  his  reguiara,  so  that  he  had  only  fifty 
of  them  left  in  the  capital  to  garrison  it,  and  to  watch 
over  the  numerous  prisoners  who  had  been  taken,  and 
over  the  several  tribes  of  Indians  who  had  come  to  New 

*  Fiinlmente  1m  ludioo  di«roii  por  la  primeravaz  el  noble  exemplo  de  hu- 
manidad  de  no  faabexheeho  el  mas  leve  dafio  &  los  habitantes  Ingleaes  fugitlvos  y 
desannadoBi  6  que  aunque  oon  armas  se  lea  rendian,  a  pesar  de  la  general  cot- 
tumbre  qae  iieaeu  de  tratar  eon  la  mas  horrible  erueldad  i  sns  prisioneros ;  .habi- 
«B^  llegado  hast*  el  extreme  de  Iraer  entre  bus  bnuos  eojgi  agasiyo  parapresentar 
al  gebernador  kw  nifioa  que  por  temor  de  su  inhmminidad  se  habian  reftigiado 
coB<iii*  madrea  i  hie  moateeti  Siqp.  4  k  Om.  de  Hadrid,  U  de  Ea^ro  d*  17,80. 


Ori 

But 

roJe 

althi 

tribe 

haug 

order 

whicJ] 

faith 

Englia 

hy  hi 
nientB 
ing  aci 
might 

Towt 
Orleans 
'it  the  8i 

Havana, 
^ionora  a 
tliemselv 
^"/radiei 
raised  to 
province 
^on  Pedi 
ed.    The< 
^as  appoi 

Polco,att 
Spanish  g 

wealth  of  1 

The  ach 

^  gentlenif 

them  in  a  s 

which  Was 

^  gentle] 


"W'oagl.  it  w»  full  oniiT,  "'.**"  '°^".  «nd 

r-bes   some  of  which  wereTfh  '**"'*  *"  *«»^nt 

Whty  tomper,  there  dM  It  J.     '^r*  ""''''«  «nd 

order  m  the  courae  of  Zr^lrr  **  *'^''<»»*  d«- 

;l>;«h  the  Spaniards  h«^  ^  ^  *T*f  "^^^  ^"'^S 

&th  and  honor  of  thX  I„S  T*'''  *°  ^^  S"^ 

English  prisoner.    ;,,«  ^pef  "tk*^;*^  T^  °^  «-'■• 

V  his  character,  t^ent,   „!       ^'"^  ^^""^  m^pired 

.»»ts  was  snch,    hat  h"  ^  fJ?^'  """i  "-^nt  ach^ve 

2^  on  this  oocalnrl  VeTd '"  T"*  ''^  ''- 
""|ht  >>«,^e  turned  out  to  be^himn'  ?""*  '^'''  ^'"'t 

Towards  the  middln  n#n  .T    '™P'^"<'enoe. 
Oceans  ft.„  ChthlJ^^^^  *h- Wed  at  Xew 
»t  the  same  time,  a  reinforc^^n^!,  «^'"''.  ^"""""e-  «nd, 
Havana.    The  Spanish  conrTw^rri''*'°°I»  from 
onors  and  awards  to  al   thle Tho'S':;^.  °  ^''""ing 
themselves  in  this  enedifer  Oi  ^  '^"gnfehed 
bnK»d.er.gener^  ColoSdlZ   m     "" ''^  ^PPointed 
>™«d  to  the  same  frrade  InH       ^'"""^  '^'^e^  C 
province  of  CnmanSTir*    ^'^  "^^  Governor  of  Z 
Ooa  Pedi.  RajCaA^ri^S.  ^i^.,  Ca^ 
«d.   The  commissaiy  of  war  bZt       ,     "^"^  P«>mot. 
^of  «Pix,inted  Boyd  Com^t^f  J"""  An  »nio  ^ya„,^ 
Pulco.  at  that  time^a  ceS^d  Jh";^""*^'"  *»-^c^ 
Span^h  galleons  took  th?i7dL^    '"''''"''' *e  rich 

'health  of  the  western  over  tt»,T'^*°  'P'^"'  the- 
The  achievementa^^S  *^7J^ '^orfd.* 

«  gentleman,  named  j^^w  "^'^T^y^ot 
themma,^  ^»  Poyi^  who  celebwted  . 

which  w»s  PrintTand  S^  ^'.f^^*  ^^«.  * 

^  «»»ae»«m  "mbsequenara^^l'^'  -'*P**^'' 

^       '  "^""W*  uamense  wealth, 


■*. 


O'PWd  .9«I1 


R 


j^'.'i 


134 


AN  EPIC  POEM  BY  JULBEIT  POTPRAS. 


# 


was  delegated  to  the  congress  of  the  United  States  by 
Louisiana,  served  in  its  territorial  and  state  legislatures, 
and,  on  his  death,  liberally  founded  and  endowed,  by  his 
last  testamentary  dispositions,  several  charitable  institu- 
tions. These  acts  of  benevolence  have  secured  to  him 
more  fame  than  his  poetry,  and  his  name  has  been  given 
to  one  of  the  principal  streets  of  New  Orleans. 

The  congress  of  the  Thirteen  United  Provinces  of 
America  saw  with  much  satisfaction  the  rupture  which 
had  occurred  between  Great  Britain  and  Spain,  and 
availed  themselves  of  this  favoral^le  circumstance  to 
send  to  the  court  of  Madrid  a  minister,  whose  instruc- 
tions were  to  negotiate  a  treaty  of  alliance,  and,  particu- 
larly, to  insist  on  their  right  to  the  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi  to  the  sea.  This  right,  however,  the  king  of 
Spain  was  not  willing  to  admit,  and  was  supported  by 
France  in  the  view  which  he  took  of  the  question.  "We 
are  disposed,"  said  in  substance  the  ministers  of  the 
Catholic  King  to  the  United  States,  "to  acknowledge 
your  independence  and  to  enter  into  a  treaty  of  alliance 
and  commerce  with  you ;  but,  if  you  wish  jis  to  consent 
to  your  admission  into  the  great  family  of  nations,  you 
must  subscribe  to  the  right  of  Spain  to  the  exclusive 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  consent  to  our  taking 
possession  of  both  the  Floridas  and  of  all  the  territory 
extending  from  the  left  bank  of  that  river  to  the  back 
settlements  of  the  former  British  provinces,  according 
to  the  proclamation  of  1763.  No  part  of  this  territory 
ever  was  included  within  your  limits,  and  the  whole  of 
it,  with  the  Floridas,  may  be  legitimately  conquered  by 
his  Catholic  Majesty,  without  giving  you  any  ground  for 
remonstrance  or  complaint.  We  furthermore  expect 
you  to  prohibit  the  mhabitants  of  your.confederiwy  from 
making  any  attempt  towards  settling  in  or  Conquering 
any  portion  of  the  British  territory  to  which  we  refer 


6)a 
poss« 
whic 
and' 


pans< 

anin< 

will  c 

of  at! 

was  n< 

power 

tiationf 

1780. 

Hare 
conques 
^epJan 
and  Bo] 
saiyof 

this  carii 
the  colo] 
and  goo 
invineib] 

showed 

on  his 

from  the 

I'egulars, 

panies  of 

a  storm  n 

coast  somi 

"^ions  aiii 

expeditioi 

and  entire 

siderablee 

artillery,  n 

point  of  A 


OALYEZ  ATTACKS  HOBTLB. 


135 


Considering  tliat;  you  have,  beyond  the  moimtains,  no 
possessions  except  the  podt  of  Kaskaskia  a&d  a  few  ottiera, 
which  yon  have  naomentArily  acquired  from  the  British, 
and  wnich  ybti  hold  only  by  a  very  precarious  tenure, 
what  is  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  to  you  in  com- 
parison with  the  importance  of  your  recognition  by  us  as 
an  independent  nation,  and  of  the  advantages  which  you 
will  derive  from  your  relations  with  us,  in  consequence 
of  a  treaty  6f  alliance  and  commerce  ?"  This  pretension 
was  not  palatable  to  the  far-sighted  policy  of  the  new 
power  which  was  budding  into  existence,  and  these  nego- 
tiationsiwere  still  pending  at  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1780. 

Hardly  had  Galvez  returned  to  New  Orleans  after  his 
conquests  of  Manchac,  Baton  Kouge  and  Natchez,  when 
he  planned  another  expedition  destined  against  Mobile, 
and  Bon  Juan  Antonio  Gayarre  again  acted  os  commis- 
sary of  war  on  this  occasion.  AH  the  preparations  for 
this  campaign  were  made  with  the  greatest  activity,  and 
the  colonists,  who  now  had  implicit  faith  in  the  talents 
and  good  luck  of  their  governor,  whom  they  thought 
invincible,  asp^sted  him  with  unremitting  ardof,  and 
showed  themselves  ready  to  peril  their  lives  and  fortunes 
on  his  behalf  On  the  5th  of  February,  Galvez  sailed 
from  the  Baiize  with  two  thousand  men,  composed  of 
regulars,  of  the  militia  of  the  colony,  and  Of  some  com- 
panies of  free  blacks.  In  the  gulf  he  was  overtaken  by 
a  storm  which  ciippled,  or  caused  to  be  stranded  on  the 
coast  some  of  his  vessels,  and  greatly  dam^^d  his  pro- 
visions and  ammunition.  The  Governor  and  the  whole 
ej^edition  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  ijrecked 
and  entirely  lost.  After  some  delays,  howev^,  and  con- 
siderable exertions,  Mvez  succeeded  in  latidi^  his  army, 
artillery,  military  stor»38  and  provisions,  on  Ihe  eastern 
point  of  Mobile  river.    Bui  this  had  been  done  with  a 


^'^ 


-^ 


'»i^ 


i;':^l 


't-J.J 


136 


SUBRENDER   OP  MOBIUB. 


gi'eat  deal  of  confusion^  and  with  a  want  of  conceii;  which 
the  war  of  the  elements  had  rendered  inevitaMe.  Had 
General  Campbell,*  who  was  at  Fensacola,  at  thd  head  of 
forces  superior  to  the  Spanish^  marched  immediately 
against  them,  and  made  a  sudden  and  vigorous  attack,  he 
might  have  secured  an  easy  victory.  So  conscious  was 
Galvez  of  his  daager  that,  notwithstanding  his  natural 
daring  and  his  confidence  in  his  own  resources,  his  first 
impulse  was  to  prepare  himself  for  a  retreat  by  land  to 
New  Orleans,  leaving  his  baggage  and  artillery  behind. 
But  those  he  had  sent  to  reconnoitre  the  country  having 
brought  back  the  intelligence  that  there  was  no  appear- 
ance of  any  design  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  to  sally  out 
of  Pensacola,  Galvez  boldly  determined  to  advance  and 
to  attack  fort  Charlotte,  towards  which  he  movc^  with 
rapidity,  and  which  he  invested  without  hesitatio:  f 

batteries  were  immediately  erected,  and  a  breach  utivmg 
been  made  in  the  walls  of  the  fort,  its  commander,  to 
avoid  an  assault  which  he  could  not  resist^  capitulated  in 
conformity  with  the  terms  ofiered  by  Galvez.  This  event 
took  place  on  the  14th  of  March.  .  ,t  ■; 

A  few  days  after,  General  Campbell  arrived  with  a 
force  which  would  have  been  sufficient  to  prevent  the 
capture  of  the  fort,  but  which  was  not  able  to  retake  it 
from  the  Spaniards.  He  was,  therefore,  compelled  to  an 
inglorious  retreat  to  Pem^acola.  In  the  month  of  May, 
the  commissary  of  war,  Don  Juan  Antonio  Gayarre,  re- 
turned to  New  Orleans,  through  the  lakes,  on  which  he 
was  assailed  by  another  storm,  which  very  nearly  proved 
fatal  to  him.  His  vessel  was  struck  by  lightning,  and 
it  was  with  considerable  difficulty  that  she  came  into, 
J)ort.  A  short  time  after,  he  departed  to  take  possession 
of  the  office  of  Royal  ComptroHer,  at  Acapulco,  mth 
which  he  had  been  faitrusted.  The  history  of  this  cfe|)r 
now  ceases  to  be  connected  with  Louidana,  but,  on  his 


de 
hi8 
sia] 
he 

by 

fouj 


'  MP  =-%^' 


^. 


GALVEZ  PEEPABES  TO  ATTACK  PISNBACOLA. 


137 


deaths  wMohlwippenediii  Mexico  4boiit  the  year  1787, 
bis  wife  and  hi»  three  sons,  who  were  all  naiaves  of  Loui- 
aana,  1  etumed  to  the  place  of  their  births  As  to  Galvez, 
he  t^as  rewarded  for  Ins  snccess  in  the  MbbUe  expedition 
by  the  grade  of  Major-General.  He  was  then  twenty- 
four  years  old,  and  therefore  had  no  right  to  complain, 
as  others  frequently  do,  of  the  tardiness  of  promotion. 

Encouraged  by  his  past  success,  Galvez  determined  to 
attack  Pensacola.  But  this  place  was  well  fortified,  and 
had  a  very  large  garrison.  His  means  were  not  ad^uate 
to  the  execution  of  his  plan,  and  he  had  to  so]iioit  the 
Captain-General  of  Cuba  for  reinforcements,  which  were 
promised,  but  not  sent.  Impatient  of  delay,  and  mis^ 
tiTisting  the  intentitons  of  the  Captain-general,  Galvez 
sailed  for  Havana,  in  order  to  ask  in  person  for  what  hi 
desired.  The  son  of  the  viceroy  of  Mexico,  and  the 
nephew  of  the  presidfflit  of  the  Council  of  the  Indies,  so 
well  known  to  be  the  omnipotent  minister  of  Charles  HI., 
was  not  easily  to  be  refused,  and  Galvez,  having  obtained 
aU  the  troops,  ammunition  and  implements  of  w;a<r  which 
he  deemed  necessary,  sailed  on  the  16th  of  October  from 
Havana  for  J^ensacola,  but  encountered  one  of  those  hur- 
ricanes which  were  so  frequent  in  tl  40  days.  Some 
of  his  transports  foundered,  the  r(«t  were  dispersed, 
and  he  returned  to  Havana  on  the  16th  of  Novembei?, 
having  been  one  month  in  gatherijig  and  •collecting  the 
scatt^ered  renmants  of  his  fleet,  with  a  perseverance, 
humanity,  and  unfliaching  sense  of  duty  which:,caimot  be 
too  highly  commended*,  .^, - 

Galvez  was  not  the  man  to  give  up  any  project  whi(^ 
he  had  ;once  formed,  and  the  H28thvoifj|ebrii^ 
found:  him  at  the  headvof  a  muohmoi^  formidable,  expe^ 
dition  tibau(  the  onewhiioii  had  been  disal^4^^^V&® 
st(»a»r;.  Qn /1i3^  day,  ^, left  Havana  flor  Pensacola,* 


* 


.•* 


i 


188 


SOUNDING  OF  THE  P^INSAOOI^  CHAinflBL. 


with  a  sliip  of  the  line,  two  frigates,  and  several  trans- 
ports, on. board  of  whieh  were  fourteen  hundred  soldiers, 
a  competent  train  of  artillery,  and  abundance  of  ammu- 
nition. The  fleet  was  commanded  by  Don  Jose  Cabro 
de  Irazabal. 

On  the  9th  of  March,*  Galvez  landed  his  troops, 
ordnance  and  military  stores  on  the  island  of  St.  Rose, 
and,  on  the  next  day,  erected  a  battery  to  support  the 
fleet  when  passing  over  the  bar,  which  attempt  was  made 
on  the  11th,  but  soon  abandoned,  because  the  admiral's 
ship  got  aground.  The  neirt  day  Galvez  wrote  to  Ira- 
zabal: ''I  am  uneasy  at  the  risk  which  the  fleet  and 
transports  will  run,  should  they  remain  long  exposed  to 
the  storms  which  so  frequently  prevail  on  this  dangerous 
coast.  Therefore  I  request  you  to  call  the  captains  of 
all  the  ships  on  board  of  yours,  and  to  consult  them  as 
to  th  "jest  means  of  getting  the  tieet  over  the  bar, 
as  speedily  as  possible."  Irazabal  complied  with  this 
request,  and,  in  his  answer  to  Galvez,  said:  "The  officers 
have  declared  that  they  are  unable  to  form  an  oDinion 
on  the  probable  success  of  a  second  attempt,  as  they  are 
without  a  correct  chart  of  the  coast.  They  complain 
that  the  pilots  on  board  of  the  fleet  are  incapable  of 
affording  any  aid,  because  every  account  they  hur?  j»iven 
of  the  soundings  has  proved  erroneous.  The  officers 
further  add,  that,  on  the  first  attempt  to  cross  over  the 
bar,  their  ships  nearly  lost  their  rudders;  and  it  is  their 
belief  that,  if  they  had  persisted  in  the  undertaking, 
they  woiQd  soon  have  come  to  a  position  which  would 
have  rendered  all  manoeuvres  impossible.  We  had 
always  anticipated  that  the  artillery  of  the  British  fort 
could  reach  the  channel,  but  now  it  is  demonstrated  tha* 
it  commands,  not  only  the  channel  over  the  bar,  but 

*  lliu:>tili'0  H39tCiiy  of  LoaisiaiiA,  vol.  ii.,  p.  Ml' 


even 
four 
aft,a] 
bar,  a 
would 
on,  th 
Beside 
shipg) 
rest,  a 
quick  1 
before 
siderin^ 
an  objc 
have  CO 
attendee 
during 
ordered 
the  dire 
the  bar 
that  anj 
be  fruiti 
dered  bj 
means  t< 
recomme 
This  a] 
pleasure 
that  feeli 
between : 
to  eoope] 
were  his 
impressioi 
incase  of 
to  forw^< 
ting  the 
after  all,  ii 


Cii- 


j'fe. 


TBX  BVJlNJSB.  ADMIBAL  BEFUSm  TO  ENTE&  IT. 


180 


■^.^ 


If 

even  the  ialaad  of  St.  Rose.  There  are  m  the  iert  twenty- 
four  pounders),  ihe  balls:  of  which  would  rake,  fore :  and 
aft,  any  of  our  vessels  that  should  attempt  to  eross  the 
bar,  and  the  direction  of  the  channel  is  such,  that  they 
would  be  obliged  to  present  successively,  as  they  moved 
on,  their  sides,  poops  and  prows  to  the  enemy's  guns. 
Besides,  the  channel  is  so  narrow,  that  should  the  first 
ship  get  aground,  she  would  obstruct  the  passage  for  the 
rest,  and  the  rapidity  of  the  current  preventing,  any . 
quick  manoeuvre,  the  ships  would  run  foul  of  ea^h  other, 
before  they  could  turn,  even  if  that  were  possible.  Oon- 
sidering,  however,  that  you  deem  the  crossing  of  the  bar 
an  object  of  vast  importance  to  the  kin^s  service,  we 
have  come  to  the  conclusion  to  send  one  or  two  officers, 
attended  by  three  or  four  pilots,  to  sound  the  ishannel 
during  the  night,  as  far  as  Point  8iguenza,  a  fire  being 
ordered  to  be  made  on  that  Point,  in  order  to  aseertain 
the  direction.  After  which  a  second  trial  to  cross  over 
the  bar  may  be  made.  But  my  individual  opinion  is, 
that  any  attempt  to  attack  the  British  by  water  would 
be  fruitless,  and  that  the  land  fprce  ought  to  be  consi- 
dered by  your  Excellency  as  the  best  and  most  efficacious 
means  to  reduce  the  fort.  Therefore,  I  beg  leave  tQ 
recommend  that  it  be  used  without  delay.'*  , 

This  answer  of  the  Spanish  admiral  caused  great  dis- 
pleasure to  Galvez.  He  thought  that  it  originated  from 
that  feeling  of  jealousy  which  but  too  often  springs  up 
between  land  and  naval  forces  when  they  are  destined 
to  cooperate;  and  that  the  officers  of  the  navy,  who 
were  his  associates  in  this  expedition,  being  under  the 
impression  that  he  would  exclusively  reap  all  the  glory 
in  case  of  success,  were Jlisposed  rather  to  thwart  tiiftn 
to  forward  his  pUms.  He  replied  to  IiiuBtM :.  '^  adaa^ 
ting  the  danger  of  losing;,  a  ship  or  two,  from  which, 
after  all,  in  ease  of  f^^ddeotf  all  on  board  would  be  easily 


# 


# 


¥ 


■ii- 


140      GALVEZ  CAUSES  THE  OHANNBL  TO  BE  SOUITOBD. 


sav^d,  what  would  be  such  a  loss  in  cpmparisoa  with 
that  of  the  whole  fleet,  which  is  likely  to  occur,  should 
there  be  a  storm  I  Therefore  I  desire  that  the  captains 
be  again  .called  together,  and  invited  to  reconMdor  their 
former  report."  In  the  mean  time,  in  order  to  rouse 
and  stimulate  those  officers  of  the  navy  whose  prudence 
was  so  little  in  accordance  with  his  views,  Galvez  deter* 
mined  to  attempt,  with  the  naval  means  of  which  he  Iiad 
the  absolute  command,  what  seemed  to  be  denied  to  him 
by  his  more  timid  associates/ 

In  compliance  with  his  orders,  the  brig  Galvezton, 
commanded  by  Bousseau,  which  had  lately  arrived 
from  New  Orleans  with  ordnance,  tmt  anchor  neta*  the 
bar.  Kousseau  sounded  the  channel  as  far  aa  Point 
Siguenza,  during  the  night  of  the  15th  to  the  16th,  and 
reported,  the  nejct  morning,  that  there  was  water 
enoughf  in  the  shallowest  part  of  the  channel  for  the 
largest  ship  in  the  fleet,  with  her  full  load.  Notwithr 
standing  Bousseau's  declaration,  the  Spatiish  <iaptains 
having,  as  Galvez  desired,  met  on  board  of  the  admiral's 
ship,  obstinately  persisted  in  their  former  decision,  and 
referred  the  Governor  to  it,  greatly  to  that  oflS^cer's 
indignation. 

So  stood  matters,  when  Joseph  dg  Espeleta  arrived, 
on  the  16th,  fi"om  Mobile,  with  all  the  regulars  which  he 
could  draw  from  that  place  and  its  neighborhood,  and, 
on  the  next  day,  Doti  Estevan  Mir6  came  from  New 
Orleans  with  the  Louisiana  forces.  They  ix)ok  their  posi- 
tion on  the  western  side  of  the  Perdido. 

In  the  critical  situation  in  which  he  was  placed  b}  tibe 
reftisal  c?f  the  JSpanish  admiral  to  graiiii  the  required  as- 
sistance, Galvez  acted  with  his  uauaXtdeci^iou  of  ohajqacter. 
A«mtnii^g  the  entire  responsibility  of  his  movements, 


anc 

act 

oft 

two 

bek 

sucli 

th^ 

hng^ 

bar. 

astir 

draw 

diTimi 

waftei 

echoet 

of  its 

to  be 

gather 

AUbei 

himsel 

Hardlj 

flag  of  < 

salute 

oii  gallf 

tiently  i 

and  poi 

which  w 

side,  ans 

British 

the  deck 

brilliant 

passed  b 


I 


•  Hairtd^'f  HUtpry,  VoL  iU  p,  66. 


t  Ibid. 


m 


HEROISM  OF  OALVEZ. 


141 


and  civsting  amde  all  rcfliance  on  Irazabal^  he  resolved  to 
act  foi  himself)  and  independently  of  him.  Without  loss* 
of  tinie,  he  ordered  the  brig  Galvezton,  a  schooner,  and 
two  gunboatd,  which  constituted  all  the  naval  forces 
belonging  to  his  government  of  Louisiana,  and  which,  as 
such,  were  with-ely  at  his  disposal,  to  prepM-e  ibr  crossing 
the  bar.  Towards  noon,*  Captain  Rousseau,  with  his 
brigf  the  schooner  and  gunboats^  cast  anchor  near  the 
bar.  At  half-past  two,  the  bay  of  Pensacola  presented 
a  stirring  spectacle.  Ou  land,  the  Spanish  forces  were 
drawn  up  in  battle  array,  and  the  beating,  of  their 
di'ums,  with  the  notes  of  other  martial  instruments,  were 
wafted  over  the  blue  waves  to  the  British  fort,  which 
echoed  back  fierce  sounds  of  defiance,  whilst  that  portion 
of  its  walls  which  faced  the  bay  could  be  distinctly  seen 
to  be  crowded  with  the  military  whom  curiosity  had 
gathered  together,  to  watch  the  manoeuvres  of  the  enemy. 
All  being  ready  for  action,  Galvez,  leaving  his  army,  threw 
himself  into  a  boat  which  took  him  on  board  of  the  bng. 
Hardly  waa  he  on  deck,  when,  by  his  orders,  the  broad 
flag  of  Gastile  was  proudly  displayed  at  the  main-mast,  a 
salute  was  fired,  all  sails  set,  and  the  small  fleet  moved 
on  gallantly.  The  fort,  which  seemed  to  have  been  pa- 
tiently waiting  for  this  signal,  was  immediately  in  a  blaze, 
and  pouring  a  heavy  fire  on  the  daring  little  vessels 
which  were  swiftly  sweeping  onward,  and  which,  on  their 
side,  answered  triih  a  brisk  cannonade.  The  aim  of  the 
British  artillery  was  principally  directed  at  the  brig,  on 
the  deck  of  which  stood  up  Galvez  in  i^  midst  of  a 
brilliant  ^£  The  brig,  the  schooner  ^4  ;the  giinboats 
pa8|9edi>y  in  zftpid  succession,  without  r^q^vingmu^ 
iijjurjf  ^Kcept  m  theb^  sails  and  ri^ging^  and  Qalvez 


# 


'  *  Martin's  iUstoi;,  toL  ii,  p.  6t. 


« 


142 


BIEGE  OF  FENSAOOLA. 


n 

rlLyflp 

H 

li 

m 

i  igit^m 

|M 

* 


«< 


S^ 


safely  landed  at  tlie  bottom  of  the  bay  under  a  salute, 
and  amid  the  enthusiastic  acclamations  of  hii^  troops. 

Iraz&ba^  and  his  men  had  remained  the  motionless 
spectators  of  this  bold  undertaking.  It  was  evident 
that  he  could  no  longer  hesitate  to  follow  this  example, 
under  the  penalty  of  being  dishonored,  and  therefore,  the 
next  day,  he  entered  the  bay,  the  frigate  leading  the 
way,  and  the  convoy  forming  the  rear.  The  fort  kept  up 
a  brisk  fire*  for  upwards  of  an  hour,  until  the  hindmost 
vessel  Mi  as  out  of  its  reach.  Very  little  damage  was  done 
to  the  Spanish  fleet,  the  whole  of  which  thus  joined  Gal- 
vez,  with  the  exception  of  the  Admiral's  ship,  which  that 
officer  sent  back  to  Havana,  because  she  had  just  been 
reladen  for  her  return.  Wi'ilst  the  Spanish  fleet,  under 
Irazabal,  was  crossing  over  the  bar,  Galvez  advanced  in 
an  open  boat  to  meet  them,  pa&sed  by  the  fort  amidst 
a  shower  of  balls  which  fell  thick  around  him,  and 
repassed  it  in  the  same  way,  at  the  head  of  the  ships, 
whose  commandei-s  he  had  thus  compelled  to  action  by 
his  heroism.  He  remained  in  the  midst  of  the  vessels 
until  the  last  of  them  had  anchored.  This  feat  of  Gal- 
vez excited  the  enthusiasm  of  his  countrymen,  and  was 
even  much  admired  by  the  British. 

On  the  same  day,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  this 
indefatigable  man,  so  distinguished  foi  his  activity  and 
intrepidity,  accompanied  only  by  two  of  his  aides,  made 
an  effort  to  cross  iiie  bar,  to  go  and  confer  with  Espeleta 
and  Mir6,  and  devise  with  them  a  plan  of  attack.  But 
he  long  struggled  in  vain  against  a  strong^  adverse  wind, 
and  he  retimied  to  his  camp,  about  midnight,  without 
having  been  able  to  accompliah  his  purpose. 

On  the  next  day,  the  20th,  early  in  the  mommg,  *'  he 

*  Martin's  History,  Tol  ii.,  {k  07. 


seni 

"OD 

in  Ti 
tol 
Qapl 

the  t 

sever 

BOW] 

and  u 

Oai 

morni 

whom 

Spaois 

siderec 

Pensac 

any  me 

myself, 

kflowlei 
and  I  ^ 

regulate 

jection  ( 

tiou  wit: 

At  no 

known  t< 

by  laeut 

^©redjhi 

^aton  B 

bearingt 

&om.Cm 

"IJumani 

We  that  , 

disasters  T^ 


.>•■■  S-- 


m  '  ' 


siEOE  OP  PiarsAcoM.  ^^^ 

fV3  edifice,,  sWpJor  o^^n^"«'  *'"''  ^""^  "^ *^ 
the  Spaniards  J  be  W  r^!!*^  ^o™  '^'^troyed 

-verity  of  theiawsof  war    "^r'l-f  ■*«  ^'  »d 

and  under  the  same  tems^    ^  *^'**  "  "^^t  ooncem, 

t^ampbell,  on  the  folWW  A. 
monung,  returned  his  answirfj.,^^™'^  ""^y  ^  the 
whom  he  sent  to  GaJv™te^,  ^  "'^  "ffi""™- 
Spamsh  general,  "an  enemY^kZf    "^^^^  *»  *he 
^dered  as  a  stratagem.   Tlor^T^.'^  ""ly  be  co„. 
Pensacola,  I  shaU  ZlJtmZ^f  *^*  ^'^"'"^  "^ 
any  meaanre  not  justifieXThT        ^  as  to  resort  to 
jnyself,  how^ver/of^is  OD,^^"^"^^"-    I  avail 
tnowledgmente  for  thf  fra^^^!.^  ^r  .""*«  ■»''  ««- 
and  I  give  yon  the  assu^^w  *'°''  ^  ^"^^  '^ived, 
^egtJated  by  yo„:^  with"CJd1o7  '^^''"'=*  ^^  ^e' 
jeotion  of  certain  p^positioSTw  .      li"^"''  o"  »«- 

Wn  tola.:rnrof  ?f  ■^'-ded  to  .«,.  made  , 
by  Heutenant^lo^j^i"^  Cmpbell's,  aecompam^' 

^  had  been  taken^S^^^'  '*  '^  ^  •*««»". 
Baton  Eouge,  and  liCS  "n  ^f '^'^  y<«.  at 
bearmg  the  flag  of  trace  Z  r,.P"°l«'  <-'ame  in  a  boat 
^  Campbe]r«„dS^:^r^*°J'^-«-  k«e« 
"Unmaniiy,"  saidC^S .  wt.°^^^'  ^«M«-* 
We  that  inoiifensiv*  inSual^T  "^  """*  "  P««i- 
d^^.^hich  are  the  ^^^^i^^ 


144 


SZEGB  OF  PSNBAOOUil^ 


B  WKm 

III 

78 

« 

Bidering,  therefore,  that  the  garrison  of  Pensacola  is 
unable  to  resist  the  force  brought  against  it,  without 
the  total  destraction  of  the  town,  and  the  consequent 
ruin  of  its  inhabiuuits,  and  that  its  fate  depends  on  that 
of  the  redoubt  of  marine  and  of  Fort  G«orge  which 
protect  it,  I  propose  that  Pensacola  shall  remain  neutral 
grouad ;  that  it  shall  be  used  by  neither  party  for  pro- 
tecting itself  or  annoying  its  adversary,  and  that  it  shall 
continue  to  be  the  safe  asylum  of  women  and  children, 
the  aged  and  the  infirm,  during  the  biege  of  the  redoubt 
of  marine  and  Fort  George,  within  which  alone  I  mean 
to  contend  for  the  preservation  of  the  pipvince  for  the 
British  Crown.  This  is  to  the  interest  of  both  parties, 
as  it  will  preserve  Pensacola  for  the  victor,  whoever  he 
may  be.  But  should  this  proposition  be  rejected,  and 
should  the  Spaniards  seek  shelter  in  Pensacola,  it  will 
become  my  duty  immediately  to  destroy  that  town.  I 
further  propose  that  the  Spanish  prisoners  in  my  posses- 
sion be  liberated  on  parole,  and  on  your  Excellency's 
assurance  that  they  shall  not  be  employed  in  the  military 
or  civil  service  of  the  Catholic  king,  during  the  war, 
unless  they  are  sooner  exchanged." 

Galvez,  when  he  had  heard  of  the  approach  of  the 
British  officers  sent  to  him,  had  commanded  his  army  to 
be  drawn  up  in  arms,  in  order  that  the  messengei*s  of 
Campbell  and  Chester  should  have  a  full  view  of  his 
forces,  and  might  report  accordingly  to  their  chiefe.  His 
troops  were  numerous,  fully  equipped^  %ell  ta'ained,  pro- 
vided with  everything  necessary  to  carry  on  the  siege 
successfolly,  and  he  had  calctdated  on  the  impression 
which  this  sight  Wvmld  produce.  He  received  courteously 
ike  Britisk  officers,  and  sent  them  backj  after  having 
v^bally  de(daj*«d  td  them  that  he^  was  too  much  indis- 
posed to  prepare  a  written  aIl^wer  before  the  neirt;  day. 

During  the  following  night,  the  English  set  fire  to  a 


'^^^' 


lew 

grea 

proa 

sider 

sitioi! 

hous( 

with 

depar 

has  ci 

other 

having 

upon, 

impres 

makei 

no  pro; 

flagrati 

to  any : 

indiffer* 

Cam 

that  th( 

from  its 

utmost  ( 

the  ofl|c( 

but  his 

afforded 

ders  sou^ 

an  asylm 

After 

heroes,  t 

think  sen 

all  hisfo 

tightening 

proaehed 

lieutenant 

on  the  otl 


i 


aZXGJfi  OV  FENBACOLA. 


14.') 


lew  bouses  near  Fort  St.  Gleorge.  This  circumatanoe 
greatly  irritated  Galvez,  who,  i&  the  morning,  sent  his 
promised  answer  to  Campbell.  "Sir,"  said  h^,  "I  con- 
sider as  a  departp/e  from,  or  a  violation  of,  yom*  propo- 
sition conveyed  to  me  yesterday,  the  burning  of  the 
houses  which  you  destroyed  last  night.  This  occurrence, 
with  others  that  have  come  to  my  knowledge  since  the 
departure  of  your  aide  and  of  LieuteKant-colonel  Dickson, 
has  convinced  me  that  those  who  sent  them  had  no 
other  object  than  procrastination.  I  am  ashamed  of  my 
having  been  thought  a  fit  object  to  practise  deception 
upon,  and  of  having  confirmed  by  my  credulity  the 
impression  which  had  been  received  of  me.  Therefore  I 
make  it  known  to  your  Excellency  that  I  shall  listen  to 
no  proposition  but  that  of  surrender;  and  that  the  con- 
flagration of  Pensacola,  so  long  as  it  is  not  attributable 
to  any  fault  of  mine,  will  be  contemplated  with  complete 
indifterence." 

Campbell  rejoined,  says  Judge  Martin  in  his  history, 
that  the  haughty  style  assumed  by  the  Spanish  chief,  &r 
from  its  intended  e^ect,  would  hav6  that  of  exciting  tho 
utmost  opposition  to  the  ambitious  views  of  Spain;  that 
the  o£Gicer  commanding  at  Fort  George  had  done  nothing 
but  his  duty,  in  destroying  a  few  houses  ne«*r  it  which 
afforded  protection  to  the  enemy;, and  that,  if  the  invar 
ders  sought  to  avail  themselves -of  Pensacola,  by  seeldng 
an  asylum  there,  it  would  be  immediately  destroyed. 

A^r  a  good  deal  of  talking,  in  imitation  of  Homer's 
heroes,  both  the  British  and  Spanish  chiefs  began  to 
think  seriously  of  coming  to  blows.  Campbell  vnthdrew 
all  luB  forces  into  t^e  fort,  and  Gf  Vez  lost  n<»  time  in 
tightening  the  iron  beU  which  en<»rcledJt  He  ap^ 
proaehed  the Bri^bfertifioations  on  one  side,  while  Ids 
lieutenants,  Mr6  and  Esp^eta^  did  the  same  operation 
on  the  other.    Th«  Spimiavds  set  to  wwk  in  earnest  to 

10  ,  . 


'ij" 


146 


BLOWINt}  UP  OP  A  B£XX)UBT. 


61*601  their  batteries,  which  they  suppLed  with  a  good 
train  of  artillery. 

In  the  beginning  of  April,  all  being  ready  on  the  part 
of  the  besiegers,  a  simultaneous  attack  was  made  by  the 
fleet  and  by  the  land  forces.  The  fire  poured  upon  the 
British  was  really  tremendous,  and  frequently  drove 
them  from  their  guns,  to  which  they  returned,  however, 
with  that  bull-dog^  tenacity  which  is  the  well  known 
characteristic  of  their  nation.  They  had  not  been  taken 
by  surprise ;  and,  as  they  had  long  ejq)ected  a  siege,  they 
had  provided  themselves  with  an  ample  supply  of  ammu- 
nition and  provisions.  The  fortifications  were  in  an  ex- 
cellent state  of  repair,  .-nd  defended  by  a  numerous  gar- 
rison, so  that  the  Spaniards*  made  but  little  impression. 
But,  being  much  annoyed  by  the  guns  of  the  fleet,  the 
English  hastily  erected  a  lower  battery  of  heavy  cannon, 
with  which  they  soon  drove  the  ships  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  bay.  Galvez  was  thus  reduced  to  his  land 
batteries,  with  which  he  did  very  little,  execution,  and 
the  result  of  the  siege  was  beginning  to  be  very  doubt- 
ful, when  there  happened  one  of  those  accidents  which 
so  frequently  determine  the  fortune  of  war.  In  the  first 
week  of  May,  a  powder  magazine  in  one  of  the  advanced 
redoubts  of  the  English,  took  fire  from  a  shell  and  blew 
up.  The  redoubt  was  completely  destroyed  by  the 
explosion,  and  a  free  passage  was  effected  in  the  very 
walls  of  the  foi*t.  Galvez  availed  himself  of  this  golden 
opportunity,  and,  by  his  order,  Espeleta,  with  a  strong 
detachment,  immediately  took  possession  of  the  smoul- 
dering ruins,  and  soon  after,  opened  a  brisk  fire  with  four 
field  pieces.  At  the  same  time,  with  Galvez  at  their 
head,  all  the  Spanish  forces  were  patting  themselvei|  in 
motion  to  storm  the  fort,  when  a  white  flag  was  hoisted 

,   *  Martin's  Hittoiy,  vol.  iL,  p^  <tl.  . 


M- 


V- 


7™^^ 


.« 


OAFirULATION  OF  PEN8AC0LA. 


147 


Tip  by  the  English,  and  an  officer  came  oat  to  propose  a 
capitulation.* 

The  terms  being  agreed  on,  the  capitulation  was  signed 
on  the  9th  of  May.  More  than  eight  hundred  men  who 
composed  the  garrison  became  prisoners,  and  the  wholo 
province  of  West  Florida  was  surrendered  to  Spain. 
The  honors  of  war^  however,  were  allowed  to  the  garri- 
son. "  They  were  permitted,"  says  Martin,  in  his  history, 
"to  retain  their  b  ggage  and  private  property,  and  were 
transported  to  their  sovereign's  dominions,  under  a  stipu- 
lation that  they  should  not  serve  against  Spain  or  her 
allies,  until  duly  exjhangiJ.  Aj  liur  O'Nr.il,  an  Irish 
officer  in  the  service  of  Spain,  ^u  i  left  in  command  of 
Pensacola.** 

Whilst  the  Spaniards  '^c^e  meeting  vnth  so  signal  a 
success  in  Florida,  they  iost,  at  Natchez,  fort  Par*  mure, 
which  was  taken  by  some  British  adherents  who  had 
settled  in  that  neighborhood  in  1776,  under  Q  leral 
Lyujian.  This  officer  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and 
had  risen  to  high  rank  in  the  service  of  the  British.  In 
1755,  he  had  been  appointed  by  the  king  major^eneral 
and  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  of  his  native  pro- 
vince. In  1762,  he  was  in  command  of  aH  the  colonial 
American  trooTv^  which  had  joined  the  British  ejfpedi-^ 
tion  against  K  »^  aa.  After  a  stay  of  several  years  in 
England,  whither  he  had  gone  to  solicit  the  reward  he 
deserved  for  his  many  services,  he  obtained  large  grants 
of  land  on  the  Mississippi  and  Yazoo  rivers,  where,  with 
a  remarkable  degree  of  enterprise  and  the  trrie  spirit  jf 
the  pioneer,  although  his  grey  hairs  seemed  to  unfit  him 
for  the  undertaking,  he  had  resolved  to  dare  the  influence 
of  a  cliniate  so  dijferent  from  the  oii6  to  which  he  hiad 
been  accustomed,  and  to  encouiiter  the  da%ers  of  a 


:^^■<■.!H•?A 


It 


* 


•  Haitiii'B  history,  vol  it,  p.  61. 


# 


$ 


143    UfSUKKEC'nOlf  AND   RETAKING  OP  FORT  PANMURE. 

3trii«jglo.  mth.  the  wilderness,  at  so  many  hundred  miles 
from  thfc  green  valleys  of  the  land  of  his  birth,  ^nt, 
notwithstanding  the  difficulties  which  stared  him  in  the 
face,  the  intrepid  veteran  shouldered  his  household  gods, 
and  with  his  eldest  son  and  a  few  friends,  departed, 
in  1776,  for  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  on  which  he 
formed  a  settlement,  near  fort  Panmure,  in  the  district 
of  Natchez.  ELe  died  a  short  time  after,  leaving  his  ad- 
herents in  jfossossion  of  his  grants.  These  men  had  seen 
with  much  regret  the  British  flag  succeeded  by  the 
Spanish.  When  they  heard  that  Galvez  had  dared  in- 
vade Florida,  their  patriotism  did  not  doubt  of  Ms  defeat, 
and,  in  the  excess  of  their  zeal,  they  determined  to  give 
a  proof  of  their  loyalty  to  their  sovereign.  They  secretly 
formed  the  plan  of  driving  away  the  Spaniards,  engaged 
most  of  the  other  inhabitants  in  the  conspiracy,  and  se- 
cured the  co-operation  of  some  of  the  neighboring  In- 
dians. On  the  22d  of  April,  1781,  they  £ip*j)roached  fort 
Panmure  in  a  body,  and  keeping  out  of  reach  of  its  guns, 
unfurled  the  British  flag.  During  the  night,  they  came 
nearer  to  the  fort,*  and  brought  some  artillery  to  bear 
upon  it,  but  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Spanish  guns  soon 
forced  them  to  retire.  From  the  24th  to  the  28th,  hos- 
tilities were  kept  up  between  the  insurgents  and  the 
Sp^ards,  and  some  gunshots  were  exchanged,  which 
killed  a  few  men. 

"  On  the  S8th,"  says  Martin,  in  his  history,  "  the  com- 
mandant of  the  fort  sent  one  of  his  officers  to  the  insur- 
gents, to  represent  to  them  the  danger  to  which  they 
eiqwsedi  themselves  by  a  rebellion  against  their  lawful 
sovereign,  fecommendhig  to  them,  at  tjhe  same  time,  to 
deliver  up  their  leaders  and  disp*  "se^  and.  promising 
that,  if  they  di(J  so^  the  royal  clemency  should  be  ex- 

*  Martin's  History,  T9I.  ii,  p.  68. 


tende 

next  ( 

to  the 

respec 

that  vi 

Thisn 

mined^ 

There 

the  for 

able  ni 

cumstai 

29th,  t] 

ant,  bei 

provisic 

fort  was 

march  t 

The  i] 

the  repo 

the  guli 

turn  to 

Panmure 

*hey  hac 

was  inci 

rendered 

Orleans  c 

a  recent  ( 

acqnainte 

fate.    Re 

resentmeat 

way  to 

point  occT 

an  enterpi 

tives  had 

hostile  Lie 


# 


RETSEAT  OF  THE  INSURGENTS  FROM  NAfCJHEZ.      149' 


tended  to  them.  They  promised  to  send  an  answer  the 
next  day.  Accordingly,  in  the  morning,  a  planter  came 
to  the  fort  with  a  letter  from  Mcintosh,  o^e  of  the  most 
respectable  inhabitants  of  the  districtj  iioforming  him 
that  what  the  messenger  would  say  could  be  relied  on. 
This  man,  on  being  questionedj  said  the  fort  was  under- 
mined, and  would  be  blown  up  on  the  following  day. 
There  was  a  deep  valley  at  a  very  short  distance  from  ■ 
the  foi-t,  at  which  the  Spaniards  had^noticed  a  consider^ 
able  number  of  persons  during  the  preceding  days,  a  cir-^ 
cumstance  which  gave  some  credit  to  the  story.  On  the 
29th,  the  men,  according  to  the  report  of  the  command^ 
ant,  being  exhausted  with  fatigue^and  watching,  and  the 
provisions  and  ammunition  being  nearly  consumed,  the 
fort  was  surrendered,  on  the  gariison  being  permitted  to 
march  to  Baton  Rouge." 

The  insui'gents  had  been  incited  to  their  enterprise  by 
the  report  of  the  appearance  of  a  strong  British  fleet  in 
the  gulf,  which,  they  thought,  would  cut  off  Galvez'  re- 
tuin  to  Louisiana.  But,  soon  after  the  taking  of  Fort* 
Panmure,  tliey  were  informed,  to  their  utter  dismay,  that 
they  had  relied  on  an  idle  rumor,  and  then*  Consternation 
was  increased  by  the  neWs  that  Pen8ac6la  had  sur- 
rendered to  Galvez.  The  punishm^t  inflicted  at  New  • 
Orleans  on  Lafreniere  and  his  companions,  in  ltd9j  was 
a  recent  occturence  with  whidh^the  insfii^nts  w<er^  well 
acquainted,  and  thfey  became  apprehensive  of  a  simUaa^  - 
fate.  Resolving  not  to  expose  ibemselves  to  Spanfel^v"' 
resentment,  they  deteMnined  to  mdke  the  best  of  th^ 
way  to  Savannah  in  Georgia,  which  Wto  the  newest 
point  occupied  by  the  British.  It  i#^t%asy  to  xjoiieeive 
an  enterprise  attended  with  tnore  (KfflcbltiesJ  T^S'lugp 
tives  had^to  ctosd  an  iminense^wiliemeas  inhabited  by 
hostile  Indians,  and^  &s  they  were  IC^yiM^jtltey  had  t&< 


«  '  .:-       •*"(  'l  .*        .  p'.  ■       * 


w^ 

f^B^m 

|Hw 

|m 

^P 

wM 

'I'^SBm 

^^KMifJ 

nRt^ 

m 

H 

m 

•* 


160 


■^• 


DISTRESS  OF  THE  INSUEGEJfTS. 


puioue  a  circuitous  route,  in  order  to  avoid  falUng  into 
the  hands  of  the  armed  bands  of  the  Americans  who 
had  shaken  off  the  yoke  of  the  mother  country.  But 
they  were  placed  between  a  choice  of  evils,  and  they 
determined  for  the  perils  of  the  journey. 

Numerous  and  indescribable,  indeed,  were  the  hard- 
ships encountered  by  this  caravan.  They  had  to  carve 
their  way  through  almost  interminable  forests,  to  swim 
across  an  Infinite  nujnber  of  streams,  deep  and  broad,  to 
scale  steep  and  lofty  mountains  which  seemed  to  stand 
up  like  impassable  barriers  before ,  them,  to  risk  their 
lives  in  the  fording  of  innumerable  marshes,  to  make 
long  and  tedious  circuits  round  those  through  which 
they  dared  not  go,  to  sleep  in  the  rugged  lap  of  the 
wilderness,  to  suffer  from  thirst,  famine,  disease,  and 
the  pelting  of  storms,  and  to  be  constantly  on  the 
alert  against  the  Indian  foe,  who,  they  knew,  was  hover- 
ing around  them.  The  mother's  breast  dried  up  under 
the  parched  lips  of  the  plaintive  infant,  who  drooped 
and  fell  like  a  withered  leaf;  the  orphan  Sat  weeping  on 
the  mother's  grave,  which  he  was  soon  to  leave ;  the 
wife's  wailings  were  heard  for  the  husband's  loss,  and  the 
husband's  manly  cheeks  were  seen  furrowed  by  teal's 
near  the  wife's  corpse.  The  aged  father  gave  his  last 
blessing  to  his  family,  and  sank  to  rise  no  more.  Sorrow- 
fully indeed  journeyed  this  miserable  band,  some  on 
horseback,  and  many,  whose  horses  had  died,  on  foot. 
The  greedy  buzzard  during  the  day,  and  the  howling 
wolf  at  night,  seemed  to  be  instinctively  attracted  to- 
wards them  by  the  hope  of  anticipated  prey.  On  reach- 
ing the  limits  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  they  separated 
into  t^o  bands.  One  had  the  bad  luck  of  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  American  insurgents,  and  the  other, 
having  crossed,  on  a  raft,  the  Alatamaha  aik  its  motith, 


^ij 


final] 

They 

days. 

W 

thec( 

comp 

most  I 

asif  i 

break 

than  1 

on  the 

destro 

sinking 

Mississ 

that,  o] 

who,  di 

trusted 

dressed 

the  kin, 

patient 

wrath 

tar  as 

stretch 

have,  in 

your  di 

necessiti 

that  we 

Majesty, 

tion  of  t 

participf 

suggest 

require. 

•  Si  en  el 
contr*tieinp< 
de  la  eonfoR 


«      H' 


MABUN  ITAYARBO'S  OIBGITLAB. 


161 


finally  arrived  at  SavaDi)Lali  in  the  latter  pai-t  of  October. 
They  had  been  travelling  one  hundred  and  thirty-one 


Whilst  these  military  operations  had  been  going  on^ 
the  commerce  and  agriculture  of  the  province  had  been 
completely  ruined,  so  that  the  inhabitants  had  been  al- 
most driven  to  despair.  On  the  24th  of  August,  1*780, 
as  if  intended  to  be  the  last  pound  of  weight  wanting  to 
break  the  camePs  back,  a  huiTicane,  much  more  furious 
than  the  one  which  had  prevailed,  the  year  preceding, 
on  the  18th  of  the  same  month,  swept  over  the  provmce, 
destroying  all  the  crops,  tearing  down  the  buil(Ungs,  and 
sinking  every  vessel  or  boat  which  was  afloat  on  the 
Mississippi^  or  the  lakes.  The  disasters  were  so  extensive 
that,  on  the  29th,  Don  Martin  Navarro,  the  Intendant, 
who,  during  the  absence  of  the  Governor,  had  been  in- 
trusted with  the  civil  administration  of  Louisiana,  ad- 
dressed to  the  colonists  a  circular,  which  was  printed  by 
the  king's  printer,  Antoine  Boudoi^quie,  and  in  which 
patient  fortitude  was  recommended  to  those  whom  the 
wrath  of  heaven  and  of  man  had  afflicted  so  much.  "So 
far  as  we  ai'e  concerned,"  said  he,  "we  are  willing  to 
stretch  to  ;|he  utmost  what  powers  and  means  we  may 
have,  in  order  to  render  you  effectual  services,  relieve 
your  distresses,  and  remedy  as  much  as  possible  the 
necessities  of  the  pubHc.  In  so  doing,  we  are  persuaded 
that  we  act  in  conformity  with  the  intentions  oi  his 
Majesty,  to  whom  we  send  a  faithful  and  exact  descrip- 
tion of  this  last  and  fatal  event.  His  royal  heart  will 
participate  in  your  miseries,  and  his  paternal  love  will 
suggest  the  best  means  to  give  the  assistance  which  you 
require.    But,*  if  in  the  course  of  one  year  aud  five 

*  Si  en  el  diaonvso  de  nn  alio  y  oinoo  dias  lum  «zperiuientado  ostedes  tantoa 
oonttAtiempoB  y  tantai  adrersidftdett  aun  qneda  que  veuoer  la  mayor,  que  «•  la ' 
de  la  eonformidad  y  la  paoieaoia,  puea  nada  diminnye  lo»  trabijoi  oomo  la  ^d- 


■fi 


•    ^-^i^i 


'■;*'^?" 


.# 


' UmBw 

M^^gP^ 

gpl 

ww^!w'^'^ 

^^^ 

/¥j^9|g 

Br  IHr  t»  *ii^ibPi^  flS'; ' 

^^^miS^md 

l^^'^M^'lli'1^)  <^m 

*T^^K 

Hh 

162 


MARTIN  ITAVAEROS  OIECDtAR. 


days  you  have  experienced  sucli  a  seiies  of  mkfortuneSj 
there  remains  yet  one  difficulty  to  overcome,  it  is  to 
(conquer  those  feelings  which  mii^Ut  be  opposed  to  your 
resigning  yourselves  entL'ely  to  the  will  of  God,  and  to 
your  adopting  the  proper  spirit  of  submission  which  the 
jircumstances  demand ;  for,  nothing  contributes  more  to 
level  down  difficulties,  and  to  aasuage  the  pains  to  which 
life  is  subjected,  than  the  determination  to  conquer  the 
former  and  bear  the  latter.  AU  countries  have  their 
inconveniences ;  some  suffer  from  the  extreme  cold  or 
heat  of  their  climate,  and  others  are  convulsed  with 
earthquakes ;  this  one  is  infested  with  wild  beasts  and 
insects ;  that  one  is  exposed  to  inundatio^is ;  and  I  know 
of  none  which  are  not  occasionally  devastated  by  the 
fury  of  storms  and  hurricanes.  Let  us  put  our  taith  in 
the  divine  ptovidence,  that  will  appease  our  alarms,  and 
remedy  the  evils  with  which  we  are  afflicted.  Let  us 
give  a  last  proof  of  our  loyalty  to  our  sovereign,  by  not 
abandoning  a  country  which  we  have  conquered  and 
preserved,  in  spite  of  human  foes  and  of  the  elements 
themselves  leagued  against  us.  Let  us  give  to  God  the 
proof  of  our  perfect  resignation,  by  saying  vdth  the  holy 
man  Job :  '  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken 
away.    Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord  I' 

P«  the  same  day,  the  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans  and 
of  its  neighborhood  returned  an  answer^  in  which  they 
thanked  Navarro  for  the  consolation  which  he  endea- 
vored to  minister  to  them,  and  bestowed  much  praise  on 


Btancia  con  que  se  sobrablevan.  Todas  lae  provineias  tioneo  mis  inoonvenieDtes, 
anas  el  rigor  del  olima,  otras  el.de  log  uisectos,  otraa  el  delos  tremblores  de  tierra, 
J  todas  expuestas  A  la  fiiria  de  los  uraoane^.  Siperemos  en  la  dlvfiia  providehcia 
que  calmara  ntiestras  desgracias,  demos  la  tllUma  prueba  de  r.aestra  l«altad  al 
soberano  en  no  abandonar  nn  pays  que  hemos  ayndado  &  conqtiistar,  &  p«iiar  del 
enemigo  coman  y  eontm  ^  torrente  de  los  elementos,  j  a  Diosla  de  la  i^gna- 
bion,  diciendo  con  Job:  Dios  nos  lo  dfo,  Dios  dob  lo  quitd.  Sa  santisshna  nombre 
eea  por  siempre  bendito  y  (dabado. 


his 

on 

less 

cire 

com 

rigo 


HA 


f 


j3S(synESL  OF  the  coloiosts. 


15a 


his  administration;  and  that  of  Galvea  Th^  they  went 
on  recitii^  all  the  sufESs^^  they  had  experiec  id  in 
leas  than  two  years,  from  a  combinaticMi  of  adverse 
cirextmstances,  snoh  as  war,  two  hurricanes^  intmdation, 
contagion,  a  summer  more  laiiny  and  a  winter  mo^j  I; 
rigorous  than  had  ever  been  known,  the  stagnation  of 
commerce,  the  ruin  of  agriculture,  the  want  of  capital, 
the  prodigiously  high  price  asked  for  all  the  necessaries 
of  life,  and  they  depicted  in  the  most  vivid  colors  the 
extreme  indigence  to  which  they  were  reduced.  **But,'' 
said  they  in  conclusion,  "we  shall  endeavor  to  conform, 
as  much  as  may  be  permitted  by  the  frailties  of  human  4. 
nature,  to  your  pressing*  e3diortations  to  patience,  and,  if 
we  cannot  rise  to  so  higii  a  degree,  in  the  possession  of 
this  virtue,  as  the  holy  man,  Job,  who  was  singularly 
favored  by  Heaven  in  this  respect,  we  dare  assure  you 
that  we  shall  at  least  be  his  match  in  gratitude,  as  soon 
as,  through:  the  clouds  of  the  threatening  sky  which 
lowers  over  our  heads,  we  shall  see  shining  forth  the 
sign  which  will  ^ve  us  the  pledge  of  future  security  and 
happiness." 

The  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  the  capture  of  the 
British  forjbs  on  the  Mississippi,  had  deprived,  says  Mar- 
tin in  his  history,  the  planters  of  Louisiana  of  the  great ' 
advantages  they  derived  from  the  ilKcit  trade  carried 
on  by  British  tradfers.  On^  the  representation  of  Galv*^ 
considerable  privileges  were  granted  to  the!  comi^erce 
of  the  province,  on  the  22d  of  January^^l782,  byia 
schedule  which  was  published  in  !^ew  Oflea^  1^^^^^^^^ 

spring:    ''■'•     ■--■••■■■■        ..;•;-,..-■,.,>.■' M^rv:     \f^-ri,.;>,.^-,„-.-f;.  ^^  ;/;,;-:;;.  '■■ 

"In  the  preamble  of  this  docii^ment,1^e  king  states 
that  hit  royal  solicitude  and  wishes  ha^^ebe^  always  to 
secure  to  his  vassals  the  utxnost  felicity,  and  -to  enaHe 
them  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  a  free  trade.;  th«t  lie 
had  never  lost  sSight,  of  so  in^rtfflit  lan  ol^eot  in  the 


f 


m 


*^ 


i^ 


**•' 


^•# 


s  ■' 


i: 


^, 


^*' 


154 


PBTVILEaiQS  OBANTED  TO  TH£  COLONT. 


regulations  he  had  made  for  the  commerce  of  his  vast 
(1  ominions  in  the  Indies,  hmig  fiuixlj  persuaded  that  th6 
protection  of  trade  and  indii5*iry  has  a  great  influence  on 
the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  a  nation.  I  f  ;8  Majesty  then 
adds,  thftt  the  province  ^ri-ouit**  ma  Ins  particularly 
Uiftrited  his  royal  attention,  since  its  annexation  to  his 
doiDinions.  His  paternal  love  for  its  inLabitants  bad 
induced  him  to  give  them  repeated  proof ''^  that  a  chr  jge 
of  go  V  emmeii  I.  had  not  diminished  tleir  happiness.  But, 
notwithstanding  the  lavors  cind  xemptions  he  had  been 
pleased  to  grant  tliem,  on  b everal  occtwions,  particularly 
)jj  the  regulations  of  the  commerce  of  the  Indies,  made 
on  the  28th  of  October,  IT 78,  experience  had  shown 
that  the  advantages  he  had  contemplated  were  not  realr 
ized ;  and  the  trade  in  peltries  of  that  province  with  the 
numerous  nations  of  Indians  who  surround  it,  and  the 
articles  of  exportation  to  Europe  which  the  country  pro^ 
duces,  demanded  new  regulations.  Accordingly,  and 
with  the  view  of  rewaiding  the  zeal  and  fidelity  of  the 
colonists,  during  the  late  campaigns  for  the  reco\ery  of 
the  territories  lately  possessed  by  Great  Britain  on  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  the  following  favors 
and  privileges  ate  granted  to  the  province  of  Louisiana: 
"  1'  Permission  is  given,  during  a  period  often  years, 
to  be  computed  from  the  day  on  which  peace  may  be 
proclaimed,  to  all  vessels  of  the  king's  subjects  in  the 
province  of  Louisiana,  bound  to  New  Orleans  or  Peusa- 
cola,  to  sail  dii'ectly  with  their  cargoes  from  any  of  the 
ports  of  France  in  which  a  Spanish  consul  resides,  and 
to  retittn  thereto  with  peltries,  or  the  produce  of  Louisi- 
an^  or  West  florida  (except  specie,  the  exportation  of 
which,  in  this  way,  is  absolutely  forbidden),  under  the 
express  condition  that  a  detailed  invoice  of  all  the  mer- 
chandise on  board,  signed  by  the  consul,  shall  be  deli- 
vered by  him,  in  a  sealed  cover,  to  the  captain,  to  be 


■% 


prese 
ofde 

"2 


:||^ 

^^^ 


% 


n 


PBIVILEaES  GSAltl'SO  TO  THE  OOI^ONY. 


155 


presented  by  tlie  latter  at  the  custom-house  of  the  place 
of  destination. 

"2°  In  case  of  urgent  necessity  in  the  colony,  the 
existence  of  which  necessity  is  to  be  certified  by  the 
governor  and  the  intendant,  permission  is  given  to  the 
colonists  to  resort  to  any  port  in  the  French  West  India 
islands,  , 

"8**  To  encourage  the  commerce  of  the  province  to 
the  ports  of  the  Peninsula  to  which  it  is  allowed,  per- 
mission is  given  to  export  from  New  Orleans  and  Pen- 
sacola  any  species  of  merchandise  directly  Imported 
there  from  Spain,  to  be  landed  in  any  port  within  the 
king's  American  dominions  to  which  trade  is  allowed, 
paying  only  the  duty  with  which  such  merchandise 
would  have  been  charged  on  its  exportation  from  the 
Peninsula,  according  to  the  regulations  of  the  12  th  of 
October,  1778;  but  the  exportation  of  foreign  merchan- 
dise imported  in  Louisiana  is  forbidden. 

"4»°  An  exemption  from  duty  is  granted,  during  the 
same  period,  on  negroes  imported  into  Louisiana  or  West 
Florida,  and  permission  is  given  to  procure  them  in  the 
colonies  of  neutral  or  allied  powers,  in  exchange  for  pro- 
du«>e  or  specie,  paying  only,  for  such  produce  and  specie, 
the  duties  mentioned  in  the  7th  article. 

**5°  Jn  order  that  the  colonists  may  fully  eigoy  the 
favors  and  privileges  now  granted,  they  are  permitted;, 
during  the  term  of  two  years,  to  be  computed  from,  the 
proclamation  of  peace  in  New  Orleans,  to  purchase 
foreign  vessels  |ree  from  duty,  and  such  vessels  are  to  be 
considered  as  Spanish  bottoms..  ,  * 

"6**  The  exportation  of  pipe  and  barrel  staves  fj!om 
Louisiana  to  Spain  is  permitted  free  from  duty.  . 

"7'  It  being  just  that  commeree  should  eontrib^te  to 
the  chajrg^  of  t^e  colony  and  to  the  expenses  it  occasions^ 
a  daty  pf  six  per  cent,  is  laid  oi^  ^ll  merchandise  exported 


>■    ■(. 


# 


"IS 


;»' 


•«■ 


166 


FATHEB  CIRILO  MADE  A  BISHOP. 


.-I-' 


imi 


tei-. 


from,  and  imported  by  the  king^s  subjects,  in  the  Penin- 
sula, Louisiana,  and  West  Florida,  according  to  a  mode- 
rate assessment. 

"  8*  Custom-houses  are  to  be  estabHshed  in  New  Or- 
leans and  Pensacola." 

Galvez,  whose  enlightened  mind  had  not  been  slow  in 
discovering  what  would  soon  have  converted  Louisiana 
into  a  populous  and  wealthy  colony,  had  recommended 
that  it  be  granted  the  privilege  of  jfree  trade  with  all  the 
ports  of  Europe  and  America.*  But  neither  the  Court 
of  Madrid,  nor  the  spirit  of  the  age,  was  disposed  to  go 
so  far. 

The  conquest  of  Pensacola  by  the  Governor  of  Loui- 
siana was  fully  rewarded.  He  was  promoted  to  the 
grade  of  Lieutenant-General,  was  decorated  with  the 
cross  of  knight  pensioner  of  the  royal  and  distinguished 
order  of  Charles  IIL,  was  made  a  Count,  and  received 
the  commission  of  Captain-general  of  the, provinces  of 
Louisiana  and  Florid.^ 

Another  individual,  who  had  made  himself  conspicuous 
in  a  different  field,  mider  Unzaga's  administration,  was 
also  promoted,  about  the  same  time.  That  was  father 
Cirilo,  the  former  antagonist  and  reviler  of  father  Dago- 
bert.  He  was  created  a  bishop  in  part/ihus  infidelittm^ 
for  the  see  of  the  town  of  Tricali  in  Greece.  But  he  was 
appointed  co-adjutor  to  his  former  patron,  Bon  Jose  Este- 
cheveril^  who  still  occupied  the  see  of  Cuba^  and;he\was 
directed  to  exercise  his  episcopal  functionsf  in  Louisiana. 
>  A  simultaneous  attack  of  the  French  and  Spaniards^ 
having  bcfen  planned  against  the  island  of  Jamaica,  Gal- 
vez sailed  for  St.  Domingo,,  where  the  combined  forces 
were  to  assemble,  and  where  he  was  to  take  the  com- 
mana  of  those  of  Spain.    On  his  departure,  he  intrusted 

,     »  VilliiV  despatch  of  the  aoth  of  May,  1781. 
f  Martin's  History,  Vol.  il,  p.  68. 


provi 
Mird. 
Bui 
Britai] 
20th  o 
Great 
at  the 
year. 
West  1 
Great  ] 

.   ^Jt\ 

indepen 
their  so 
from  a  j 
31  degre 
river  A 
middle  t 
straight 
downalo 
ocean.    ' 
]^08sessioi 
By  the 
^sissip^ 
declared  \ 
of  Great  1 
This  stipi 
discussions 
the  Unite 
I^uisiana. 
On  the : 
Indian,  wh 
Taiapduch< 
nor  of  Pel 


'•m 


4k 


TREATY  BETWEEN  SPAIN  AITO  OTHER  POWERS.      157 

provisionally,  the  government  of  Loniaiana  to  Colonel 
Mird. 

But  th^  preliminary  articles  of  peace  between  Great 
Britain^  France,  and  Spain,  were  signed  at  Paris  on  the 
20th  of  January,  1783,  and  the  defimtl^^e  treaties  between 
Great  Britain,  the  United  States  and  Spain,  were  signed 
at  the  same  city,  on  the  3d  of  September  of  the  same 
year.  By  this  treaty,  Spain  gained  the  provinces  of 
West  and  East  Florida,  which  were  ceded  to  her  by 
Great  Britain. 

By  the  same  treaty,*  Great  Britain  acknowledged  the 
independence  of  the  United  States,  and  reco^ized,  as 
their  southern  boundary,  a  line  to  be  drawn  due  east 
from  a  point  in  the  river  Mississippi,  in  the  latitude  of 
31  degrees  north  of  the  equator,  to  the  middle  of  the 
river  Apalachicola,  or  Cataouche;  thence,  along  the 
middle  thereof  to  its  junction  with  Flint  River ;  thence 
straight  to  the  head  of  St.  Mary's  River ;  and  thence 
down  along  the  middle  of  St.  Mary's  river  to  the  Atlantic 
ocean.  This  line  became  the  dividing  one  between  the 
possessions  of  Spain  and  the  United  States. 

By  the  8th  article  of  the  treaty,  the  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi,  Jrom  its  source  to  ite  mouth,  was  expressly 
declared  to  remain  for  ever  free  and  open  to  the  subjects 
of  Great  Britain  and  to  the  citizens  of  the  tJnited  States. 
This  stipulation  was  destined  to  give  rise  to  endless 
discussions  between  the  two  former  allies,  Spain  and 
the  United  States — involving  the  ftiture  destinies  of 
Louisiana. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1784,  M'GiUivrayj  a  htdf-breed 
Indian,  who  was  one  of  the  most  influential  cMefe  pf  the 
Talapouches,  wrote  to  Arthur  O'N'dl,  th^  Spanish  g<>ver« 
nor  of  iPensattola,  to  propose  a  treaty  of  alliltnce  and 


m 
m 


<«%^fi|rtm'i  Bktory,  T^  a^^     It. 


,  *H 


W 


W^ 


# 

■^1^ 


•^4 


4,i 


M> 


#' 


I' 


158 


M'OILLIVRAY,  TITE  HALF-BREED   INDIAN. 


commerce  with  the  Spaniards.  He  consequently  repre- 
sented in  glowing  colors  the  advantages  Which  Spain 
would  derive  from  it,  and,  what  is  curious,  he  hints  at  a 
scheme  which  was  subsequently  adopted  by  the  Court 
of  Madrid,  and  which  was,  to  separate  the  Western 
territories  from  the  rest  of  the  United  Stat^. 

"  Having  been  informed  a  few  days  ago,'*  said  hej  "  by 
a  letter  received  from  St.  Augustine,  that  the  definitive 
treaty  of  peace  between  their  Catholic  and  Britannic 
Majesties  was  ratified  in  Paris  on  the  3rd  of  September 
last,  I  take  the  liberty  to  congratulate  with  you  on  this 
fortunate  event.  As  this  treaty  confirms  Spain  in  the 
possession  of  both  the  Floridas,  I  solicit,  in  the  name  of 
the  Tala])Ouche  nation,  the  beneficent  protection  of  his 
Catholic  Majesty  for  our  persons,  and  for  the  land  which 
we  claim,  and  of  which  we  are  in  actual  possession.  If 
the  foi-tune  of  war  has  compelled  his  Britannic  Majesty 
to  withdraw  from  us  his  protection,  nevertheless  he  had 
no  right  to  transfer  us  away,  with  our  property,  to  any 
power  whatever  against  our  will  and  inclination. 

"  Certainly,  as  a  free  people,  we  have  the  right  to 
choose  our  protector,  and  we  do  not  see  any  one  who 
ai  wers  our  purposes  better  than  the  Sovereign  of  the 
two  Floridas.  I  will  therefore  lay  before  you  a  few 
reasons  to  demonstrate,  that  it  would  be  sound  policy  on 
the  part  of  Spain  to  grant  us  what  we  desire. 

"  Since  the  publication  of  the  general  treaty  of  peace, 
the  American  Congress  has  brought  to  light  a  situation 
of  its  affairs,  showing  the  debt«  and  revenues  of  the  con- 
federacy. By  this  statement  it  appears,  that  the  debts 
contracted  in  Europe  and  America  are  estimated  at 
more  than  forty-two  millions  of  dollars,  the  interest 
of  which  is  about'  two  millions  and  a  half.  The  Court 
of  Versailles  has  urged  upon  the  American  Congress  the 
necessity  of  paying  the  interest  of  the  money  due  to 


thes 

cont 

This 

sion, 

escap 

their 

towar 

numb 

thems 

waterc 

what  t 

aside  i 

emigra] 

possible 

carry  IB 

they  oni 
quire  mi 

"lea 

employ 

of  the  ' 

support 

of  theirs 

remaining 

gerous  n( 


or  any  pa 

aU  these  I 
Qow  coii^i 
punBued 
he  advc 


^     Boseandoj 

"■rte  de  IwiSie 
P«nd«ncia  oeoiJ 


^ 


m 


^Rf 


0 


^ 


XOB  PROKMXnOHB  A2n>  DI80L08UBB3  TO  SPAIN.      159 

France.  In  order  to  raise  the  necessary  Ainds  to  meet 
these  claims,  the  Congress  has  imposed  dnties,  taxes  and 
contributions,  striking  alike  the  Thirteen  United  States. 
This  expedient  has  produced  so  unfavorable  an  impres- 
sion, that  a  good  many  of  their  citizens,  in  order  to 
escape  from  the  burden  of  taxation,  have  abandoned 
their  dwellings  for  the  woods,*  and  have  marched 
towards  the  Mississippi,  in  order  to  unite  with  a  certain 
number  of  disbanded  soldiers,  who  are  anxious  to  possess 
themselves  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  territory 
watered  by  this  river,  and  they  propose  establishing 
what  they  call  the  Western  Indqmidence^  and  throwing 
aside  the  authority  of  the  American  congress.  The 
emigrants  are  so  numerous  that,  in  a  short  time,  it  is 
possible  that  they  may  find  themselves  strong  enough  to 
carry  into  execution  their  scheme  of  separation ;  and,  if 
they  once  form  settlements  on  the  Mississippi,  it  will  re- 
quire much  time,  trouble  and  expense  to  dislodge  them. 
"  I  can  assure  you  that  the  Americans  in  the  South 
employ  every  means  in  their  power  to  enlist  the  feelings 
of  the  Talapouches  on  their  behalf,  and  to  secure  the 
support  of  this  nation.  Should  they  succeed,  the  result 
of  their  influence  wiU  be,  that  the  Indians^  instead  of 
remaining  the  friends  of  Spain,  will  become  very  dan- 
gerous neighbors,  and  will  assist  the  Americans  in  all  the 
designs  which  they  naay  ibrm  against  Pensacola,  Mobile, 
or  any  part  of  the  adjacent  Spanish  dominions ;  and  of 
all  these  things  the  Americans  speak  openly.  I  will 
now  con\municate  my  yiews  as  to  the  best  course  to  be 
pursued  to  frustrate  their  designs.**  The  course  which 
he  advocated'  was,  ii]^  substance,  to  grant  to  the  Tala- 

,  *  Bvscando  nnera  morada  «ii  los  bos^^  dirigiendai  .|>riB«{pa1iDttiite  mi  vii^e 
al  MisMssiptrf  para  onine  con  poroion  de  ragos  soldados  que  d««Ma  po«<>^  grata 
parte  de  laa  tierras  d«  e«te  rio,  y  piensan  estaUecer  lo  qtie  elloa  Uaniai^  la'ihde- 
pendencia  oeoidental,  flMra  de  la  amo)ridad  del  eongkao. 


.!>.<'■■ 


'■.>f« 


W 


s? 


♦ 


♦i** 


i66 


A   0ONORIS8   OF  Tiq:  INDTAN   NATIONS. 


)X)iiche8  as  many  commeFcial  advantages  and  other 
privileges  as  could  be  bestowed  upon  them. 

Feeling  how  important  it  was  to  conciliate  all  the 
Indian  nations,  whose  hostOity  or  friendship  was  so  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  prosperity  and  safety  of 
Louisiana,  the  Spaniards  invited  them  to  meet  in  what 
they  called  a  congress^  at  Pensacola  and  Mobile,  and  it 
was  resolved,  in  order  to  giVe  more  solemnity  to  the 
occasion,  that  this  congress  should  be  attended  by  the 
governor  ad  interim,  Estevan  Mir6,  by  the  intendant 
Navarro,  and  by  Arthur  O'Neil,  the  commander  of 
Pensacola. 

On  the  SOtli  of  May,  IT 84,  the  Indian  congress  was 
opened  \inth  great  pomp  and  the  usual  ceremonies.  The 
customary  presents,  with  medals  and  other  decorations, 
were  given,  and  a  treaty  of  alliance  and  commerce  was 
sealed,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  parties.  On  the 
6th  of  June,  a  liberal  distribution  of  brandy,  powder  and 
every  sort  of  ammunition  was  made,  and  after  much 
feasting,  McGillivray  was  dismissed  with  hisTolapouches, 
'  who  were  delighted  with  their  reception  by  the  Span- 
iards. He  had  been  appointed  commissary-general  of 
ii  all  the  Talapouche  tribes,  with  a  monthly  salary  which 
was  not  to  be  less  than  fifty  dollars. 

On  the  2  2d  of  the  same  m(mth,  Mir6  presided,  at 
Mobile,  over  another  congress  which  was  composed  of  the 
Ohickasaws,  the  Alabamas,  the  Ohoctawa  and  the  other 
smaller  nations,  who  all  came  with  their  wives  and 
children.  This  vast  concourse  of  people  was  magnifi- 
cently entertained  at  the  espense  of  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment. Bich  gifts  were  showered  plentifully,,  chiefe 
cajoled — and  finally,  the  same  ceremonies  whicji  had 
beea  gone  through  at  Pensacola,  were  reSnacted  at 
Mobile,  only  on  a  larger  scale,  and  the  same  treaties  of 
alliance  and  conimeroe  were  i^wom  to  and  »gned. 


"% '  m 


Mf- 


whic 

natio 

score 

not  g 

to  be 

"In 

sentim 

Indian 

and  of 

of  our  1 

ing  ou< 

Catholi, 

sonere  t 

imitatio] 

onpselve 

equal  ni 

qnantity 

without ; 

those  caj 

Bytht 

the  name 

tions  in 

within  _ 

deprived 

^  conaeqJ 

Iqdian  alll 

tones  hM 


?■;*?'■ 


•<* 


TRBATT  OF  8PAIH  WITH  TUB  IITDIANS. 


161 


The  6th  article  of  the  treaty  with  the  Talapoiiches, 
which  was  also  inserted  in  all  the  treaties  with  the  other 
nations,  redounds  much  to  the  glory  of  Spain,  on  the 
score  of  humanity,  for  which,  unjustly  no  doubt,  she  is 
not  generally  given  much  credit,  lliis  article  deserves 
to  be  quoted,  and  reads  as  follows : 

"In  conformity*  with  the  humanity  and  the  generous 
sentiments  cherished  by  the  Spanish  nation,  we  (the 
Indians)  renounce  for  ever  the  custom  of  raising  scalps, 
and  of  making  slaves  of  our  white  captives ;  and,  in  case 
of  our  taking  any  prisoners  in  (consequence  of  the  break- 
ing out  of  any  sudden  ^^ar  against  the  enemies  of  his 
Catholic  Ivfj^jesty,  we  bind  ourseWes  to  treat  those  pri- 
soners with  the  kindness  to  which  they  are  entitled,  in 
imitation  of  the  udages  of  civilized  nations,  reserving  tr 
ourselves  the  privilege  of  exchanging  them  against  an 
equal  number  of  Indians,  or  of  deceiving  for  them  the 
quantity  of  goods  which  may  be  previously  agreed  upon, 
without  making  the  slightest  attempt  against  the  lives  of 
those  captives.*^ 

By  the  last  article  of  the  treaty,  it  was  stipulated  in 
the  name  of  the  king,  that  he  confirmed  the  Indian  nar 
tions  in  the  possession  of  the  lands  which  they  owned 
within  his  dominions,  and  that,  in  case  they  should  be 
deprived  of  them  by  any  of  his  enemies,  he  should  then, 
in  consequence  of  the  love  which  he  entertained  for  his 
Indian  allies,  grant  them  elsewhere,  in  some  of  the  terri- 
tories belonging'to  him,  and  as  an  equivalent  for  their 

*  En  obseqQlo-  de  la  hamraidtd,  y  eorreapondiendo  i  Im  g«n«roflM  sentimi- 
enUxi  de  la  uaoion  Eipafiola,  renunciamoa  pari  siempre  la  praottoa  de  lerantar  oa- 
belleraa,  m  ti^user  eaelavoal  los  Uaiioos.  Y  en  easo  de  qua  uaa  inopinada  giiem; 
contni  los  enemigo*  die  sn.Mi^tBd  Oatolioa  not  ponga  en  el  eoto  de  haoer  algQn 
prisionero,  lo  trataremog  con  la  hospitalidad  que  oorreeponde^  A  imitadon  de  laa 
na«ion<t^  dviluadaat^oangeando  lo  deepues  e6:&  ignal  iiiinlei'6  de  Indiot^  6  reoibi- 
endo  en  ra  1i^|M' ih^Minttdald  de-gtaeroci  qa» priramente  ee  atipnlare,  ufr.eoti^- 
ter  eit>tt  ningimo  deloe  «Kpteendo«^  pirisieiierea  d«  goerrael  manor  at^ntadoi 
ravida. 

m.''  11 


* 


-•f' 

^^^ 


• 


^ 


» 


'^' 


*1 


H'i 


I 


Villi 


■r*  '•■■ 


,'V.'-< 


.'*■ 


162 


BEGT7LATI0NS  FOE  THE  INDIAN  TRADE. 


loss,  the  same  extent  of  lands,  presenting  equal  advan- 
tages. 

In  order  to  avoid  all  future  discussions,  and  to  prevent 
deceit  as  mucli  as  possible,  a  minute  tariff  was  agreed 
upon,  in  relation  to  the  price  and  quality  of  every  article 
which  they  were  to  be  furnished  with,  and  for  which 
they  were  to  give  in  return  a  certain  quantity  of  peltriey. 
The  most  stringent  regulations  were  also  made  by  the 
Spanish  Governor,  to  protect  the  Indians  against  the 
malpractices  of  the  traders,  who  were  to  be  permitted 
to  introduce  their  merchandise  in  their  villages.  These 
regulations  began  with  this  declaration  as  a  preamble : 
*'  The  trade  with  the  Indian  nations  is  to  be  conducted 
on  principles  of  good  faith  and  equity ;  and  those  that 
engage  in  it  shall  take  care  so  to  demean  themselves  as 
to  secure,  by  ail  the  means  in  their  power,  the  attainment 
of  so  important  an  object,  without  availing  themselves, 
to  avoid  these  obligations,  of  the  despicable  subterfuges 
of  fraud  and  deceit." 

A  contract  was  passed,  on  the  24th  of  July,  between 
the  Spanish  government  and  James  Mather,  a  resident 
and  merchant  of  New  Orleans,  by  which  this  individual 
bound  himself,  on  certain  conditions,  to  employ  two  ves- 
sels to  import  all  the  goods  and  merchandise  wanted  for 
the  Indian  trade.  These  two  vessels  were  to  navigate 
under  the  Spanish  flag,  and  one  was  to  land  its  cargoes 
at  Pensacola,  the  other  at  Mobile.  Mather  had  reserved 
to  himself  the  privilege  of  sending  his  vessels  for  the 
supplies  he  was  to  procure,  either  to  the  Dutch,  Danish, 
or  English  islands,  in  America,  or  to  one  of  the  European 
ports  belon^ng  to  these  three  nations.  His  return  car- 
goes from  Pensacola  and  Mobile  were  to  consist  of  the 
productions  of  the  colony. 

The  fortitude  of  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  to  whom 
the  Intendant  Navarro,  in  his  circular  of  the  29th  of 


ISfU 


% 


E 


# 


EXTRAOBDIN'ABT  SXTHSBITT  OF  THE  WHTTEB  OF  1*784.     168 

August.  1780,  iiad  recommended  tlie  patience  of  Job, 
was  put  to  another  trial  by  the  prodigious  rigor  of  the 
winter  of  1784.  The  months  of  July  and  August  of  the 
preceding  year  had  been  so  cool,  that  the  colonists,  to 
their  great  amazement,  had  to  resort  to  their  winter 
clothing.  White  frosts  made  their  appearance  in  the 
beginning  of  September,  and  continued  to  be  frequent 
to  the  16th  of  November  (1783)  when  the  cold  ^  "ome 
intense.*  There  wiis  a  constant  succession  of  squalls, 
and  the  wind  blew  with  nnheard  of  violence,  from  the 
north  and  north-east,  and  then  from  the  south,  gomg 
almost  through  the  whole  ronnd  of  the  compass.  With 
rapid  transition,  the  keen  northern  blast  froze  the  ground, 
and  the  warm  breath  of  the  southern  breeze  brought 
back  the  genial  temperature  of  the  spring.  The  varia- 
tions of  the  weather  were  such,  that,  several  times,  in  six 
houra,  Reaumur's  thermometer  fell  from  twenty  degrees 
above  the  freezing  point  to  two  and  three  degrees  below 
it,  in  a  closed  room  where  fire  was  kept  up.  On  the 
13th  of  February,  1784,  the  whole  bed  of  the  river,  in 
front  of  New  Orleans,  was  filled  up  with  fragments  of  ice, 
the  size  of  moat  of  which  was  from  twelve  to  thirty  feet, 
with  a  thickness  of  two  to  three.  This  mass  of  ice  was 
so  compact,  that  it  formed  a  finld  of  four  hundred  yards 
in  width,  so  that  all  communication  was  interrupted  for 
five  days  between  the  two  banks  of  the  Mississippi.  On 
the  19th,  these  lumps  of  ice  were  no  longer  to  be  seen. 
"  The  rapidity  of  the  current  being  then  at  the  rate  of 
two  thousand  and  four  hundred  yards  an  hour,"  says 
Villars,  "and  the  drifting  of  the  ice  by  New  Orleans 
having  taken  five  days,  it  follows  that  it  must  have 
occupied  in  length  a  space  of  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles.  These  floating  masses  of  ice  wei*e  met  by 
ships  in  the  28th  degree  of  latitude." 

*  Villam'  despatch,  25th  of  February,  1^84. 


m 


Sit 


m 


j^^^'^ 


'^w 


4 


.» 


2  V ..  \  ,  f'X 


164 


t 


OAIiYEZ,   VICEROY   OP  MEXICO. 


Another  valise  of  distress  for  the  poor  colonists  was 
the  depreciation  of  the  royal  p4per  money,  which  had 
been  issued  at  par  to  meet  the  eicpenses  of  the  war,  and 
which  had  fallen  down  fifty  per  cent,  of  its  original 
value,  t  As  if  this  was  not  enough,  commerce  was  crippled 
by  a  decree  of  the  Court  of  Spain,  which  was  published 
in  New  Orleans,  in  the  beginning  of  September,  and 
which  prohibited  foreign  vessels  from  entering  the  river 
under  any  pretext  whatever,  either  stress  of  weather,  or 
want  of  provisions,  &c.  The  administration  of  the  colony 
considered  this  decree  as  being  a  rcvoeatioQ- of  the  sche- 
dule of  17 Y6,  in  relation  to  the  French  Islands,  und  wi'ote 
to  Spain  to  obtain  further  instructions  as  to  the  manner 
of  carrying  the  new  decree  into  execution. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year,  1*785,  Galvez  was  ap- 
pointed Gaptain-general  of  the  island  of  Cuba,  of  the 
province  of  Louisiana,  and  of  the  two  Floridas.  But,  on 
the  death  of  his  father,  in  the  summer,  he  succeeded  liim 
in  the  viceroyalty  of  Mexico,  and  was  allowed  the  privi- 
lege of  retaining  the  captain-generalship  of  Louisiana  and 
the  Floridas. 

Galvez  was  one  of  the  most  popular  viceroys  that 
Mexico  ever  had.  He  governed  that  extensive  countiy 
nine  years,  with  all  the  powers  of  absolute  and  despotic 
sovereignty ;  and  his  administration  was  so  mild,  so  just 
and  so  enlightened,  that  he  became  the  idol  of  the 
people.  He  had  that  nobleness  of  mien,  that  graceful- 
ness of  manner,  that  dignified,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
easy  affability  for  high  and  low,  which,  in  persons  of  his 
rank,  never  fail  to  win  the  heart.  He  was  a  man  of 
profuse  magnificence  in  his  habits,  and  the  gorgeous 
displays  which  he  used  to  make  on  public  occasions, 
were  much  to  the  taste  of  all  classes  of  the  population. 


Then,  as  I  said,  the  Duke,  great  Bolingbroke — 
Mounted  upon  a  hot  and  fiery  steed, 


4       Hf 


iH 


ffis  w 

passing  j 
ligent  as 
the  Meid 
to  her  hi] 
Galvez 
tance  froi 
ie  preter 
since  bed 
against  M 
him  imm 
catches,  fl^ 
artillery  o 
tected  on 
edifice,  wi 
given  to  it 
seat  of  run 
fiUed  with 
undergrour 
^th  the  ci 
seat  was,  in 
could  not 
^^iose  idol 
impolitic,  ur 
it  became  a 


M 


THE  OHABACTEB  »F  GAL 


165 


'•,.i.Ji.ii\'N   ■ 


\IV^bicfa  his  aspiring  rider  geemed  to  know — 
With  glow,  but  stately  pace,  kept  on  his  course, 
White  all  tongues  cricJU-God  save  thee,  Bolingbroke  ! 
You  w<rald  have  thought  the  very  t^indows  spake, 
So  many  greedy  looks  of  young  and  old 
Through  casements  darted  their  desiring  eyes 
Upon  his  visage ;  and  that  all  the  walls. 
With  painted  imag'ry,  had  said  at  once — 
Jesu  preserve  thee  I     Welcome,  Bolingbroke  I 
Whilst  he,  from  one  side  to  the  other  turning, 
Bare*headed,  lower  than  his  proud  steed's  neck, 
Bespake  them  thus — I  thank  you,  countrymen  : 
And  thus  still  doing,  thus  he  passed  along. 

His  wife,  wlio  was  a  native  of  Louisiana,  was  of  sur- 
passing loveliness,  and  as  charitable,  gracious  and  intel- 
ligent as  she  was  beautiful.     She  wfis  literally  adored  by 
the  Mexicans  and  Spaniards,  and  she  greatly  contributed' 
to  her  husband's  popularity. 

Galvez  had  caused  to  be  constructed,  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  his  capital,  for  himself  and  his  successoi's,  as 
he  pretended,  on  the  rock  of  Chapultepec,  which  has 
since  become  famous  in  the  war  of  the  United  States 
against  Mexico,  a  superb  country  seat,  which  had  cost 
liim  immense  sums.  Surrounded  by  large  and  deep 
ditches,  flanked  with  strong  bastions  well  supplied  with 
artillery  on  the  side  -  oking  towards  Mexico,  and  pro- 
tected on  the  northern  Bide  by  an  immense  forest,  this 
edifice,  whatever  might  be  the  name  and  the  disguise 
given  to  it,  look  f  J  more  like  a  fortress  than  a  peaceful 
seat  of  rural  enjoyment.  Immense  subterraneous  vaults, 
filled  with  provisions  to  last  many  months,  and  many 
underground  ways,  communicated  from  the  castle  both 
with  the  city  and  the  forest.  This  pretended  country 
seat  was,  in  fact,  an  impregnable  fortification,  and  as  it 
could  not  be  intended  by  Galvez  against  the  people, 
whose  idol  he  was,  and  to  whom  it  would  have  been 
impolitic,  under  such  circumstances,  to  show  any  distrust, 
it  became  an  object  of  wondering  comments,  hints  and 


#  » 


■im- 


M. 


.m 


<       In 


'Hi. 


"it  ^■■■, 


166 


DEATH  OF  GALVEZ. 


iiLianiiations.  It  was  even  rumored  that  Galvez,  who 
was  the  son  of  a  viceroy,  and  who  had  succeeded  his 
father  in  the  same  capacity,  as  it  were  by  the  regular 
laws  of  legitimate  succession,  was  not  disposed  to  relin- 
quish, at  the  caprice  of  his  sovereign,  the  power  which 
he  considered  to  be  an  hereditary  heir-loom  in  his  family, 
and  that  he  was  secretly  aiming  at  occupying  the  throne 
of  Mexico,  not  as  the  representative  of  the  king  of  Spain, 
but  in  his  own  right.  It  is  said  that,  owing  to  these 
vague  and  probably  calumnious  whisperings,  the  Court 
of  Madrid  was  preparing  to  recall  Galvez,  w^ien,  in  con- 
sequence of  too  much  exposure  and  fatigue  in  hunting, 
he  died  in  August,  1*794.  He  was  then  in  the  full 
meridian  of  life,  being  only  thirty-eight  years  old.  His 
death  was  felt  to  be  a  great  public  calamity,  and  was 
deplored  as  such  by  the  whole  population  of  ^.e  king- 
dom of  Mexico. 


*• 


-f  n 


mi''  3 


# 


•J^- 


'^r  iiS^^i?ig^^4:%e :.  'im 


(m^ 


CHAPTER  IV. 


MIBd*8  ADMnnSTBATIOW. 


1Y85  to  1789. 


Galvez  was  succeeded  ad  interim  by  Mr6,  and  Don 
Pedro  Pi^mas  took  the  place  of  Mir6  as  colonel  of  the 
regiment  of  Louisiana, 

One  of  +he  first  measures  of  Miro's  administration  was 
one  of  charity.  It  is  remarkable  that  leprosy,  which  is 
now  so  rare  a  disease,  was  then  not  an  uncommon  afSic- 
tion  in  Louisiana.  Those  who  were  attacked  with  this 
loathsome  infirmity  generally  congregated  about  New 
Orleans,  where  they  obtained  more  abundant  alms  than 
in  any  other  part  of  the  colony.  They  naturally  were 
objects  of  disgust  and  fear,  and  the  unrestrained  inter- 
course which  they  were  permitted  to  have  with  the  rest 
of  the  pop'ilation  was  calculated  to  propagate  the  dis- 
temper. Ulloa  had  attempted  to  stop  this  evil,  by 
confining  some  of  the  lepera  at  the  Balize,  but  this 
measure  had  created  great  discontent  and  had  beenj^^ 
abandoned.  Miro  now  determined  to  a<jt  with  more^ 
efficacy  in  this  matter,  and,  on  his  recommendation,  the 
cabildo,  or  council,  caused  a  hospital  to  be  erected  for 
the  reception  of  these  unfortunate  beings,  in  the  rear  of 
the  city,  on  a  ridge  xof  land  lying  between  the  river 
Mississippi  and  bayou  St.  John.  The  ground  they  x^ecu- 
pied  was  long  known  and  designated  under  the  appella- 
tion of  Za  terre  des  Zipretue,  or  Lepers^  Lmd.  In  \hib 
course  of  a  few  years,  the  number  of  tliese  patients 


# 


•%         % 


f 

'ff/k 

1 

4 

Sf^HBn^^^B^KK^^' ?  *  M^^SE^IH 

10.8 


Wn^T  19  A  JUEZ  DE  BESIDENCIA? 


imp 


I'M  frtajwii •.■•■*  ,?'.»■■ 


gi'aduaUy  diminislied,  either  by  death  or  transportation, 
the  disease  disappeared  almost  entirely,  the  hospital 
went  into  decay,  and  Iters'  Zand  remained  for  a  con- 
siderable length  of  time  a  wild  looking  spot,  covered 
with  brambles,  briers,  weeds,  and  a  luxurious  growth  of 
palmettoes.  It  is,  in  our  days,  a  part  of  suburb  Tr6me, 
and  is  embellished  with  houses  and  all  the  appliances  of 
civilization. 

Hardly  had  Mir6  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office, 
when  he  was  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  official  acts 
of  one  of  his  piedecessors.  Governor  Unzaga,  and  to 
report  thereon  to  his  government.  When  an  individual 
is  called  upon  to  discharge  these  functions,  he  receives 
the  commission  of  whit  is  termed  in  Spanish  jurispru- 
dence, A  Juez  de  Hesidimcia^  or  a  Judge  of  Residence. 
According  to  the  laws  of  Spain,  this  inquiry  takes  place 
into  the  official  conduct  of  public  functionaries,  when 
they  are  removed  by  death  or  any  other  cause.  It  is 
made  at  the  most  important  part  of  the  district  in  which 
the  late  officer  exercised  his  jmisdiction ;  and  from  the 
decision  of  the  Judge  of  Residence  there  lies  an  appeal 
to  the  Council  of  the  Indies.  This  law  never  had  the 
salutary  effects  which  were  intended.  The  object  of  the 
legislator  was  apparent.  Power,  he  thought,  is  liable  to 
abuse,  and  gi'eat  power  is  vested  in  all  the  officers  of  the 
Spanish  monarchy,  within  the  sphere,  high  or  low,  in 
which  each  is  called  to  act.  Let  him  know,  therefore, 
that,  as  soon  as  he  is  stript  of  the  power  intrusted  to  his 
hands,  tlijre  shall  be  a  thorough  investigation  of  all  his 
acts,  private  or  public;  that  every  one  shall  have  the 
right  and  the  opportunity  to  accuse  him  fearlessly,  even 
from  malice,  caprice,  or  envy ;  let  him  know  that,  whilst 
he  is  in  the  discharge  of  his  functions,  he  is  surrounded 
by  the  observing  vigilance  of  a  whole  population,  from 
the  ranks  of  which  numerous  accusers  and  witnesses. 


#  P 


'f. 


il 


vvhe 
hk] 

to  I 
life, 
Justj 
agaii 
So  S( 
tale, 
dated 
inqui] 
those 
is  a  s( 
tween 
to  seei 
may  qi 
them  i 
judgmc 
functioi 
soon  dij 
the  oth 
the  late 
himself, 
fi'iends 
i'rom  the 
the  susp; 
other 
officer, 
promotec 
might  hi 
Spanish 
under   ej 
hatred  an 
over,  the 
fQanofoD 
in  some  rt 


cc 


WHAT  IS  A  JUEZ  DE  BE3IDENCIA  ? 


169 


\Theii  he  is  rendered  powerless,  may  start  up  to  impugn 
his  motives,  to  blacken  his  character,  to  arraign  his  acts, 
to  bring  into  broad  daylight  every  circumstaTice  of  his 
life,  and  to  drag  hitii  like  a  cidprit  befoi*©  the  stiat  of 
Justice.  This,  no  doubt,  must  be  an  effectual  safeguard 
against  his  partiality,  his  cupidity,  and  his  other  passions. 
So  schemed  theory ;  but  practice  told  a  very  different 
tale.  The  Judge  of  Residence  could  be  bribed,  intimi- 
dated, or  otherwise  influenced.  If  not,  he  found  his 
inquiries  generally  baffled  by  the  combined  efforts  of 
those  who  ought  to  have  afforded  him  assistance.  There 
is  a  sort  of  free-masonry  and  sympathetic  alliance  be- 
tween all  persons  in  office,  which  iaake&  them  opposed 
to  seeing  any  one  of  them  subjected  to  censure.  They 
may  quarrel  together,  but  an  e^nt  de  corps  will  unite 
them  against  any  censor  that  will  presume  to  sit  in 
judgment  over  any  one  of  them.  Thus,  when  a  Spanish 
functionary  went  out  of  office,  the  Judge  of  Residence 
soon  discovered  that  he  was  opposed  by  a  league  of  all 
the  other  officers  of  the  district  in  which  had  officiated 
the  late  incumbent,  against  whom  no  accuser  presented 
himself,  from  the  fear  of  having  to  straggle  against  the 
friends  he  had  left  behind  him,  or  might  hiave  at  court, 
from  the  unwillingness  to  incur  the  displeasure,  or  excite 
the  suspicions  of  the  other  functionaries,  and  from  many 
other  considerations.  Besides,  not  unfrequently,  the 
officer,  whose  conduct  was  to  be  investigated,  had  been 
promoted  to  a  more  important  office,  and,  although  he 
might  have  been  sent  away  to  some  distant  part  of  the 
Spanish  dominions,  yet  who  would  run  the  risk,  except 
under  extraordinary  circumstances,  of  incurring  the 
hatred  and  oppression  of  a  man  rising  in  power?  More- 
over, the  Judge  of  Residence  was  himself  ffenerolly,  a 
man  of  ambitious  aspirations,  and  had  been,  or  w^^old  be 
in  some  responsible  office  sooner  or  later,  and  had  been, 


tH?^ 


% 


i^^r'M. 


^- 


:^ 


:4 


■■3. 

■  if.. 


■^^B 

IfKif^mn^^B 

kU  i  IrifiiHH^'H^^B 

■ill  fivHonH 

IfiR 

i^^^H 

fM  jHBb? 

^ub' 

II^^P^^^ 

[pRfDHBiiuff^ 

mam 

f 


I 


170 


%• 


CENSUS  OF  1786. 


or  would  be,  on  a  day  to  come,  subjected,  in  his  turn,  to 
a  Judge  of  Residence.  It  is  natural,  therefore,  that  any 
one  in  that  position  should  not  have  been  disposed  to 
give  the  dangerous  example  of  much  scrutiny  and  seve- 
rity. Hence  the  law  had  become  &  dead  letter,  and  the 
appointment  of  a  Judge  of  Residence  was,  in  most  cases, 
a  mere  formality.  It  proved  so  on  this  occasion.  No 
complaint  was  produced  against  Unzaga,  whether  there 
was  cause  for  any  or  not,  and  Mir6's  decision,  as  a  Judge 
of  Residence,  on  his  predecessor's  administration,  was 
all  that  could  be  desired  by  that  functionary,  or  by  his 
fnends. 

In  this  year,  1785,  a  census  which  was  taken  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Louisiana  gave  the  following  results : 


New  Orleans, 

Balize  to  the  city,  . 

At  the  Tei-re  aux  Bceufs, 

Bayou  St  John,  and  Qoniilly, 

Tohoupitoulaa^ 

Parish  of  St.  Charles, 

St.  John  the  Baptist^ 

St.  James, 

Lafourche, 

do       interior, 
Iberville, 
Pointe  Couple, 
OpelouBsas, 
Atakapas, 
New  Iberia,    . 
Ouachita, 
Rapides, 
Avoyelles, 
Natchitoches, 
Arkansas, 
Su  Genevieve^ 
St  Loi:ia,         , 
Manohao, 
Galvaaton, 
B«ton  Rouf% 
Natchez         . 


lotel. 


4,980 

2,100 

676 

678 

•7,046 

1,903 

1,800 

1,882 

646 

862 

678 

1,621 

1,211 

1,070 

126 

207 

88 

a<i7 

766 

196 

694 

897 

77 

242 

270 

1,660 

746 

81,488 


'^^W 


■■>* 


Tl 

than 

13,53 

1,100 

being 

betw€ 

had  a 

$4,0v0( 

The 

accessi 

Acadia 

France 

the  cou 

such  of 

They  w 

Mississij 

settleme 

others  e 

the  rest 

Opelouss 

ItwiU 

iad  beei 

on  the  tr 

been,  tha 

revived 

establish^ 

however,' 

the  time 

stopping 

whatever 
latter  had 
ill  extent  a 
from  Janu 
island,  the 
the  war. 


ARRIVAL  OF  AOADIAN  FAMILIES. 


171 


This  enomeration  shows  that  the  population  had  more 
than  doubled  since  1769,  when  it  amouhted  only  to 
13,538.  •  The  number  of  free  colored  persons  was  about 
1,100,  and  that  of  the  slaves  and  whites  was  very  near 
being  equally  divided.  The  expenses  of  the  colony  were 
between  400,000  and  500,000  dollars.  The  Governor 
had  a  salaiy  of  $10,000;  that  of  the  Intendant  was 
$4,000,  &c.,  &c. 

The  province  received,  this  year,  a  very  considerable 
accession  of  population,  by  the  arrival  of  a  number  of 
Acadian  families,  who,  at  the  expense  of  the  King  of 
France,  and  in  consequence  of  an  arrangement  between 
the  courts  of  Versailles  and  Madrid,  came  over  to  join 
such  of  their  countrymen  as  had  emigrated  to  Louisiana. 
They  were  granted  lands,  mostly  on  both  sides  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  near  Plaquemines.  Some  went  to  the 
settlement  already  existing  on  the  Terre  aux  Boeufs ; 
others  established  themselves  on  Bayou  Lafourche,  and 
the  rest  were  scattered  in  the  districts  of  Attakapas  and 
Opeloussas. 

It  will  be  recollected  that,  in  1782,  a  royal  schedule 
had  been  issued,  which  relaxed  the  restrictions  imposed 
on  the  trade  of  the  colony.  The  consequence  of  it  had 
been,  that  the  commerce  of  New  Orleans  had  greatly 
revived  and  a  number  of  merchants  from  France  had 
established  themselves  in  that  town.  "The  planters, 
however,"  says  Judge  Martin  in  his  History,  "  regretted 
the  time  when  British  vessels  plied  on  the  Mississippi, 
stopping  before'every  house,  furnishing  the  farmer  with 
whatever  he  wanted,  accepting  in  payment  whatever  the 
latter  had  to  spare,  and  granting  a  credit  almost  unlimited 
in  extent  and  duration.  A  number  of  agents  had  arrived 
from  Jamaica,  to  collect  debts  due  to  merchants  of  that 
islMid,  the  recovery  of  which  had  been  impeded  during 
the  war.    As  the  trade  these  creditors  had  carried  on 


# 


-4 


V*,» 


'■t?^ 


* 


172 


BESPITE  ORAltTTKD  TO  OEBIOHS. 


Uil 


^Vi 


vr 
4 


,1,  -!,:,.■ 


J* . 


'"ill 


could  not  now  be  continntvl,  they  pressed  for  settlement 
and  payment. '  In  some  cases,  legal  coercion  was  resorted 
to;  but  Mir6,  with  as  anich  prudence  as  Unzaga  on  a 
similar  occasion,  exerttjd  his  influence  to  procure  some 
respite  for  those  who  were  really  unable  to  comply  with 
their  engagements,  and  allowed  a  resort  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity against  those  only  whose  bad  faith  appeared  to 
require  it.  Instances  are  related,  in  which,  unable  to 
obtain  a  creditor's  indulgence  for  an  honest  debtor,  he 
satisfied  the  former  out  of  his  own  purse." 

Mir6  exerted  himself  to  obtain  as  much  extension  as 
possible  for  the  commerce  of  the  colony,  and  applied  to 
the  Court  of  Madrid  to  recommend  its  being  fostered  by 
more  liber  il  regulations.  In  a  despatch  of  the  15th  of 
April,  1786,  he  said:  "In  Louisiana,  there  are  strong 
houses  which  would  be  able  to  carry  on  all  its  commerce, 
if  they  wei'^  not  restrauied  by  the  want  of  capital,  and 
by  the  depreciated  paper  money  which  the  wants  of  the 
country  require  to  be  put  in  circulation.  This  cause  pre- 
vents them  from  undertaking  the  least  mercantile  specu- 
lation which  would  be  attended  by  much  risk.  It  is, 
therefore,  astonishing  that,  notwithstanding  these  adverse 
ch'cumstances,  there  should  be  so  much  commercial  ac- 
tivity on  this  river,  where  at  least  forty  vessels  are  always 
to  be  seen  at  the  same  time.  I  say  that  the  operations 
of  the  merchants  are  impeded  by  the  want  of  cai:)ital, 
because,  not  having  specie  at  their  disposal,  they  are 
obliged  to  purchase  the  ^igricultural  productions  of  the 
country  with  paper  money,  and,  as  the  planter  sells  them 
his  crop  at  a  very  high  rate,  propoiiiioned  to  the  depre- 
ciation of  the  paper  ojBfered  i|i  paym©^  t,  they  cannot 
operate  any  sale  of  those  productions  n  the  European 
market,  without  losing  thirty  or  forty  per  cent.,  a,nd  fre- 
queiatly  seventy.  This  has  occasioned  losses,  which  have 
destroyed  the  fortunes  of  many  merchants,  and  hence 


have 
ofth 

of  na 
whicl 
exalt* 
po'-jses 
which 
exchai 
absolu 
are  ac( 

"In 

advant 
withou 
much  L 
sold  at 


lages; 

freely  ^ 

be  8ub|( 

"Sho 

interrup 

other  na 

which  M 

will  resn 

which  ti 

"Besit 

shops,  w 

not  think 

and  ratio 

"The 
utmost  le 
of  hasieai 


COMMEBOB  OF  THE   COLONY. 


173 


have  originated  the  nnmerous  creditors  by  whom  some 
of  them  are  harassed. 

"  Commerce  is  so  necessary  to  the  common  prosperity 
of  nations,  that,  without  it,  and  without  the  relations 
which  it  establishes,  man  would  not  have  arrived  rt  that 
exalted  degree  of  knowledge  and  civilization Wf^ir-  >  • 
possesses :  the  Indians,  who  are  ignorant  o^  i  Ke  latr^ 

which  r<  nvil  societies,  feel  the  importance  i>f 

exchangii  oils  of  the  chase,  either  for  objects  of 

absolute  l         il^  ,  or  for  such  articles  of  luxury  as  they 
are  acquainted  with.  ♦  #  »  » 

*  *  *  «  *  • 

"  In  order  that  this  commerce  with  the  Indians  be 
advantageous,  it  is  necessary,  1st,  that  it  be  carried  on 
without  interruption ;  2d,  that  it  be  conducted  with  as 
much  legalicy  as  possible ;  3d,  that  the  merchandise  be 
sold  at  the  most  equitable  price;  4th,  that  tbere  be 
always  a  sufficient  number  of  traders  in  the  Indian  vil- 
lages; 5th,  that  it  be  permitted  to  all  to  go  and  trade 
freely  with  the  Indian  nations ;  6th,  that  this  commerce 
be  subjected  to  no  favoritism  and  to  no  monopoly. 

"  Should  commerce  be  canied  on  with  them  without 
interruption,  they  will  not  think  of  resorting  to  any 
other  nation  than  ours,  and  from  the  familiar  intercourse 
which  will  be  established  between  them  and  us,  there 
will  result  friendly  relations  and  ties  of  good  fellowship, 
which  these  people  are  not  incapable  of  forming. 

"  Besides,  shoiud  there  be  established  among  them  open 
shops,  where  they  could  sell  their  peltries,  they  wcwild 
not  think  of  visiting  the  capital,  where  they  claim  presents 
and  ralions  which  are  a  serious  drain  upon  tibe  ^easury. 

^'The  trade  witii  them  must  be  condtnted  ^k  the 
utmost  legality,  in  order  to  inspire  them  ^th  sentiments 
of  honesty^  which,  otherwise,  i^>  would  be  difficult  io 


# 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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HiotograiJiic 

Sciences 

CarporatiQn 


23  VMST  MAIN  STRHT 

WIISTni,N.Y.  14SM 

( 71* )  •73-4503 


* 


4' 


174 


MIBO'S  MIEW  OK  THE  SAME  SUBt^XTT. 


inculcate  in  them,  because  they  are  always  disposed  to 
follow  the  exa^/iple  of  the  whites,  whose  superiorly  they 
acknowledge.  ^ 

"Nothing  can  be  more  proper  than  that  the  goods 
they  want  should  be  sold  them  at  an  equitable  price,  in 
order  to  aflford  them  inducements  and  facilities  for  their 
hunting  pursuits,  and  in  order  to  put  it  within  their 
means  to  clothe  themselves  on  fair  terms.  Otherwise 
%"  they  would  prefer  trading  with  the  Americans,  with 
whom  they  would,  in  the  end,  form  alliances,  which  cad- 
not  but  turn  out  to  be  fatal  to  this  province. 

"It  is  important  that  there  should  be  no  want  of 
traders  in  the  Indian  villages,  not  only  for  obvious  com- 
mercial purposes,  but  also  to  act  as  spies  on  the  Indians, 
or  to  watch  the  movements  of  any  intruder  who  might 
endeavor  to  pervert  them. 

"That  this  trade  be  open  to  all,  is  in  accordance  with 
the  rights  and  privileges  which  are  enjoyed  by  eveiy 
subject  of  his  Majesty ;  and  to  secure,  its  continuation,  it 
is  necessary  that  it  be  not  exclusive,  as  the  Indians  would 
be  aware  of  the  disadvantages  they  would  suffer  from 
a  monopoly,  because  there  is  not  a  nation  so  ignorant  as 
not  to  know,  that  it  can  derive  no  benefits  from  a  com- 
merce not  open  to  competition.  Our  commerce  with 
the  Indians  divides  itself  into  two  different  branehes, — 
>  the  one,  embracing  all  the  Mississippi  region,  extending 
fi'om  New  Orleans  upwai'ds,  and  the  other  radiating 
from  Mobile  and  Fensacola,  through^  all  the  country 
which  is  dependent  on  these  two  places.  Those  nations 
who  82^  known  under  the  appellation  of  Choctaws, 
Alibamons,  Ohickasaws,  Greeks,  Talapouches,  and  Apa- 
kches,  supply  themselves  at  Mobile  and  Pensacola.  Two 
cofgoee,  ai0:ipaUy^  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  tons  each, 
composed  of  effects  worth  sitty  thousand  dollars,  at  the 
1^  Etiropean  valuation,  wiU  be  suffieient  for  Mobile ;  and 


■^v 


A 


fe 


* 


ir^VUUftO^S  yiEWS  OK  THE  SAJOB  SUBJECT. 


175 


:^o  similajr  oargoes,  but  worth  only  forty  thousand 
dollars,  will  do  for  Pensacola.  The  profits  derived  from 
this  trade  may  reach  twenty-five  per  cent.,  provided  the 
price  of  peltry  shonld  keep  up  iu  the  Eun^an  market 

^1  Should  it  be  deemed  absolutely  necessary  to  main- 
tain this  commerce  with  the  Indians^  then  the  ftmdar 
mental  condition  of  it  must  be,  that  it  be  not  shared,  in 
the  slightest  degree,  if  possible,  either  by  the  Engli^  or 
French,  and  that  the  Indians  should  know  no  other 
traders  than  the  Spaniards.  But  this  must  be  the  work 
of  time." 

The  celebrated  half  breed,  Alexander  McGilliyray, 
the  most  influential  chief  among  the  Talapouches,  had  been 
allowed  a  share  in  the  profits  to  be  derived  from  the 
trade  carried  on  at  Pensacola,  besides  the  pension  of  $600 
a  year,  paid  him  by  the  Spanish  Government.  In  con- 
nection with  this  circumstance,  Navarro  observes :  "  So 
long  as  we  shall  have  this  chief  on  our  side,  we  may 
rely  on  having  established,  between  the  Floridas  and 
Georgia,  a  barrier  which  it  will  not  be  easy  to  break 
through.  The  Indians  are  now  fuUy  convinced  of  the 
ambition  of  the  Americans;  the  recollection  of  past 
injuries  still  dwells  on  their  minds,  and,  with  it,  the  fear 
that  these  greedy  neighbors  may  one  day  seize  upon 
their  lands,  and  strip  them  of  a  property  to  which  they 
consider  themselves  as  xiaving  a  right  derived  from 
nature  herself.*  It  ought  to  be  one  of  the  chief  points 
In  the  policy  of  this  Grovemment  to  keep  this  seiil^ent 
alive  in  their  bi^asts.  >h    ;; 

"With  r^ard  to  our  Xndian  commerce  on  thf^MissiB- 

*  En  el  dia  m  mantienen  log  Incliw  eooTenoidoi  de  la  aipbicion  da  los  Ain«ri> 
calioa;  la  mMncwia  di»  liw  pasadas  iiji^ihM  qa«  Iwr  han  hiN^''iitl^tite,  y  «da  afla 
el  recalo^Aqv*^  algimdia,  •«  i^podanuMO  da  soi  ti«rr9%  y  djH^!^^ 
pit  >dad  <iaa  oi«aii,p«rtenacer  laa  |^  itq  ^<f^<>  4*  n||t^aff}|wa»  an  en^o  pappa 
-^ietatxj)  i«  adniiniaiiite  y  (libav^ 
parMTOl^    :•  -,:-il'.~-.  ■  -  


f 


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n 

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ifH 

I  # 


176     N AVARR0*8  BEOOMMENDATIOfTS  OIT  THE  SUBJECT. 


sippi,  of  wWch  New  Orleans  is  the  centre,  it  is  now  much 
rednoed,  although  it  ought  to  be  the  most  lucrative  of 
all,  because  it  embraces  some  of  the  nations  in  the  pro> 
vince  of  Texas,  and  all  those  of  the  Arkansas  and  Illinois 
districts!. 

"  In  relation  to  Texas,  our  trade  is  of  very  little  con- 
sequence, on  account  of  the  risks  with  which  it  is  attended. 
It  would  much  improve,  if  we  could  secure  peace  with 
the  Comanches.  Until  then,  the  goods  wanted  for  that 
trade  will  not  require  more  than  an  annual  outlay  of  six 
thousand  doUars. 

"  The  commercajn  the  district  of  the  Arkansas  is 
subjected  to  inconveniences  of  the  like  nature,  and 
exposes  the  traders  to  no  little  danger  on  account  of  the 
incursions  of  the  Osages. 

"The  commerce  with  the  Illinois  is  the  easiest,  and 
yet  it  is  of  very  little  importance,  because  the  English, 
who  are  in  possession  of  Michilimakinac,  three  hundred 
leagues  above,  introduce  themselves- with  the  greatest 
facility  into  our  possessions,  and  seize  on  the  richest 
poi-tion  of  the  trade  by  forestalling  the  peltries  of  the 
finest  quality.  We  are  compelled  to  be  mere  lookeiB- 
on,  when  others  do  what  we  ought  to  do  ourselves,  and 
we  have  to  m*  ^o  the  vexation  of  seeing  the  trade, 
which  ought  t«.  ,me  down  the  Mississippi,  elude  our 
grasp  and  lake  the  St.  Lawrence  for  its  channel.  They 
have  also  possessed  themselves  of  the  trade  with  aU  the 
nations  on  the  river  Atm  Momes^  which  is  eighty  leagues 
above  St.  Louis,  and  within  the  jurisdiction  and  depen- 
dcoice  of  the  lUhiois  district,  lliere  beavers  and  otters 
are  to  be  found  in  the  greatest  abundance." 

Then  Navarro  goes  on.  ew9»merati»g  the  remedies  he 
reeQininends  to  obvi»te  these  evils,  and  which,  if  idojpted, 
would,  he  sa}^:  ''cause  to  fall  iiito Spahish:  ha^  J^ 
manna  offered  by  the  trade  with  the  Indians,  whieh  is  a 


* 


BOTAL  OSDBB  AS  XO  THX  HATOHSZ  OXSTBICT  IN  1786.   177 

casket  of  wealtfa,  of  wliich  others  luive  the  use,  although 
we  hold  its  key.*  The  treasures  of  that,  mine  would 
then  find  their  way  into  the  coffers  of  our  nation,  and 
our  enemies  would  not  wrest  from  us- the  bread  which 
shoidd  help  to  our  8Ustenance,f  and  forty  thousand  dol- 
lars a  year  would  be  sufficient  to  supply  all  the  ^ants 
of  that  trade." 

Navarro  concludes  his  despatch  with  these  reflections : 
'*  If  the  province  of  Louisiana  is  intended  to  serve  as  a  bar- 
rier against  the  Americans,  it  cannot  answer  this  purpose 
without  a  considerable  increase  of  its  population,  and  it 
can  acquire  the  numerous  populatio|i^vof  which  it  is  sus- 
ceptible, only  through  commerce  and  agriculture.  The 
one  requires  protection,  the  other  assistance.  The  former 
cannot  prosper  without  freedom  and  unlimited  expansion ; 
the  latter  cannot  succeed  without  laborers.  Both  are 
necessary  to  supply  the  means  of  paying  the  expenses 
of  the  colony,  to  secure  the  possessions  and  the  rights  of 
the  sovereign,  and  to  make  his  power  and  amis  respee- 
ttble.{    These  are  all  my  views  on  this  matter." 

The  whole  of  this  document,  of  which  I  have  only 
given  a  few  extracts  and  the  condensed  spirit,  is  replete 
with  good  sense  and  liberality,  and  is  a  strong  proc^  of 
Navarro^s  distmgmshed  qualification';. 

On  l^e  5th  of  April,  1786j  the  king  issued  a  royal 
order,  by  which  he  approved  the  conduct  of  "MJib^  who, 
in  the  preceding  year,  had  granted,  in  the  districts  of 
Baton  Bouge  and  Natchez,  which  had  been  conquered 
by  the  Spaniards,  some  indulgence  and  extension  of  idme 
to  theBri'Bsh  stibjeots,  in  relation  to  their  s^]^  th^ 


■■'^*^-'^ 


& 


fii. 


'm 


1T8 


mBO*B  BANDO  DE  BUEK  OOBEEBNO. 


f 


property,  collecting  their  debts,  and  removing  away 
their  persons  and  effects.  The  king  declared  his  will 
that  permission  to  remain  he  granted  to  such  of  them 
as  might  desire  it,  provided  they  took  an  oath  of  alle- 
giance and  fidelity  to  him,  and  promised  not  to  move 
out  of  their  respective  districts  without  the  permission 
of  the  governor.  "Those  who  neglected  to  take  the 
oath,"  says  Judge  Martin  in  his  History  of  Louisiana, 
"were  to  depart  by  sea  for  some  of  the  colonies  of  Korth 
America;  and  if  they  were  unable  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  the  voyage,  it  was  to  be  paid  by  the  king,  Vho  was 
to  be  reimbursed,  as  far  as  possible,  by  the  sale  of  their 
property. 

"The  king  further  ordered  that,  at  Natchez  and  other 
places  where  it  might  be  done  conveniently,  parishes  be 
formed,  and  put  under  th9  direction  of  Irish  clergymen, 
in  order  to  bring  over  the  inhabitants  and  their  families 
to  the  Catholic  faith,  by  the  mildness  and  persuasion  it 
recommends.  For  this  purpose,  the -king  wrote  to  the 
Bishop  of  Salamanca  to  choose  four  priests,  natives  of 
Ireland,  of  approved  zeal,  virtue  and  learning,  from 
among  those  of  his  university,  to  be  sent  to  Louisiana  at 
the  king's  expense. 

"Mird,  on  whom  the  provisional  government  had  de- 
volved on  the  departure  of  Galvez,  now  received  a  com- 
mission of  governor,  civil  and  military,  of  Louisiana  and 
West  Florida,  and  issued  his  Bcmdo  de  hum  gdbierrw^  on 
the  2d  of  June. 

"A  Bcmdo  de  hten  gobiemo  is  a  proclamation,  which 
the  governor  of  a  Spanish  colony  generally  issues  on 
assuming  its  government,  to  maJ^  known  the  principles 
by  which  he  intends  to  dir^  his  conduct,  and  to  in^o- 
dace  necessary  alterations  in  the  prdinanoes  of  poHce. 

"Li  this  document,  Mir6  begins  by  stating  thai  reli- 
gion being  the  object  of  the  wise  laws  of  Spain,  that  a 


rey€ 

and 

witi 

faith 

ries, 

quen 

ment 

is  pr 

liceng 

or  st< 

servic 

on  th< 

«H 

tigains 

that  t] 

womei 

on  inc 

He  re< 

and  to 

Iiisdet 

mendai 

he  will 

evidenc 

"He 

establis 

garded, 

bids  tB 

directs 

"He 

duelling 

dirks, 

enfoiiec 

^in 

hihited. 
"•Ilie 


tiii. 


jfi 


^u- 


MIb6's  BASDO  DB  BXTETT  OOBIEBITO. 


reverent  demeanor  in  dmrch  being  a  consequence  of  it, 
and  tliat  tlie  bishop  baving  lately  pnblii^ed  an  edict 
witb  regard  to  tbe  respect  and  devotion  mtb  wbieb  the 
faithful  are  to  attend  the  celebration  of  the  holy  myste- 
ries, thQ  proceedings  of  the  vicar-general  against  deKn- 
qnentd  wOl  receive  every  necessary  aid  from  the  govern- 
ment. Working  on  the  Sabbath  and  other  holy  fe#tivcls 
is  prohibited,  except  in  cases  of  necessity,  without  the 
license  of  the  vicar.  He  forbids  also  the  doors  of  shops 
or  stores  being  kept  open  during  the  hours  of  divine 
service,  and  the  dances  of  slaves  on  the  public  squares 
on  those  days,  before  the  close  of  the  evisnittg  service. 

"He  declares  his  intention  to  proceed  ivith  severity 
against  all  persons  living  in  concubinage.  He  observes, 
that  the  idleness  of  free  negro,  mulatto,  and  quarteroon 
women,  resulting  from  their  dependence  for  a  livelihood 
on  incontinence  and  libertinism,  WiU  not  be  tolerated. 
He  recommends  them  to  renounce  their  mode  of  living, 
and  to  betake  themselves  to  honest  labor;  and  declares 
his  determination  to  have  those  who  neglect  his  recom- 
mendation sent  out  of  the  proviniee,  warning  them  that 
Be  will  consider  tVoir  excessive  attention  to  diess^as  an 
evidence  of  theii  misconduct. 

"  He  complains  that  the  distinction  which  had  been 
established  in  the  head-dress  of  females  of  color  is  disre- 
garded, and  urges  that  it  is  useful  to  enforce  it ;  he  for- 
bids them  to  Wear  thereon  any  plumes  or  jewelry,  ttiid 
directs  them  to  have  their  hair  bound  in  a  kercMef. 

"He  announces  that  the  laws  against  gambling  and 
duelling,  and  against  those  who  carry  about  their  persons 
dirks,  pistols,  and  oflier  weapons^  shall  be  r%or6uaIy 
enfoi^sed.  -;» 

^  1^  nighlly  assemblages  of  pe^pfe  <^;(k>l!d^a*f  pro- 
hibited.-?;;; ■;;;, .  ■  "'-'}   '  ■ . ■  ^^         ;;■■;  ;'^'"v';  /;■/ \ 

"The  iilihabitantg  if  tliie  dty  are  forbidden  to  leave 


*■ 


^ 


■% 


M-     %. 


-^,>tmm^ 


r^ 


m' 


180 


lfIB6^S  BANDO  DE  BUEN  OOBIEBNO. 


it,  either  by  land  or  by  water,  without  a  passporli^'ttiil 
those  T^ho  leave  the  province  are  to  give  security  for  the 
payment  of  their  debts.  ^ 

"  Persons  coming  in,  by  land  or  water,  are  to  present 
themselves  to  the  Government  Hoo^e. 

"  Those  who  harbor  convicts,  or  deserters  firom  the 
land  or  naval  service,  are  to  be  punished. 

"  Any  large  concourse  of  people  without  the  govern- 
ment's consent  is  inhibited. 

"None  are  to  walk  out  at  night  without  urgent  neces- 
sity, and  not  then  without  a  light. 

"  No  house  or  apartment  is  to  be  rented  to  a  slave. 

"  Tavern-keepers  are  to  shut  their  houses  at  regular 
hours,  and  not  to  sell  spirituous  liquors  to  Indians, 
soldiers,  or  slaves. 

"  Purchases  from  soldisrs,  Indians,  convicts,  or  slaves 
are  prohibited. 

"  Regulations  are  made  to  prevent  forestalling,  to  hin- 
der hogs  from  running  at  large  in  the  streets,  to^  restrain 
the  keeping  of  too  great  a  number  of  dogs,  and  to  secure 
the  removal  of  dead  animals. 

"  Pleasures  are  taken  to  guard  against  conflagrations, 
to  drain  the  streets,  and  to  keep  the  landing  on  the  LeVee 
unobstructed.  i> 

"Verbal  sales  of  slaves  are  forbidden." 

According  to  one  of  Mir6's  despatches,  the  revmue 
resulting  from  the  import  and  expoi-t  duties  at  New  Or- 
leans amounted,  this  year,  to  685,063  reales dejsHakty^a&i 
is  about  $72,000.     , 

In  th§  beginning  of  ITST,  the,di&tricts  of  Opeloussas 
andAtakf^)!^,  which,  on  account  ef  the  thinness  of  theh^ 
population,  htid,  so  ftir,  been  intrusted  to  l^e  care^6f  ^e 
ofi&cer,  had  become  so  considerable^  that  irfcwto  defeljied 
expedient  to  divide  them  into  two  separate  odrnmands 
iRj^olas  iVrtstall  waa  ai^Kttnted  coi^anftiid^  c#it^e 


ik^' 


■*; 


'>*!k'' 


ARRIVAL  OF  IRISH  ?KIE8TB. 


OpeloQssas  district^  and  the  Chevalier  de  Clouet,  who 
had  before  presided  over  both,  was  left  m  chaise  of 
Ataikapas. 

It  m^y  not  have,  been  forgotten,  that  the  hing  had 
requested  the  Bishop  of  Salamanca  to  choose  from  the 
Seminaiy  of  that  town  four  Irish  priests,  who  were  to  be 
sent  to  Louisiana,  and  who  were  to  settle  among  the 
Pi'otestant  and  Anglo-Saxon  subjects  of  his  M^esty,  in 
the  hope,  no  doubt,  o#^  converting 'them  to  the  Catholic 
faithi  These  priests  arrived  in  1787,  and  were  esta- 
blished at  Baton  Bouge,  Natchez,  and  other  posts  in  the 
territory  conquered  over  Great  Britain  by  Galvez. 

At  th^t  time,  Spain  began  to  look  with  earnest  solici- 
tude at  the  growing  p6wer  which,  under  the  appellation 
of  the  United  Sts^te?  of  America,  had  taken  its  rank 
among  the  nations  Of  the  earth,  and  the  Western  settle- 
ments of  wliich  had  come  into  collision  with  those  of  the 
Spaniards  in  Florida  and  Louisiana.  Thus  the  State  of 
Georgia  claimed  an  immense  territory  on  the  east  sido 
of  the  ISiussissippi,  from  Loftus  heights  northward,  for 
several  hundred  miles,  which  regibn  was  in  the  posses- 
siou  of  Spain,  with  a  population  estimated  at  about  ten 
thousand  soutls.  Georgia  had  .7 •  t  commissioners  toNew 
Orleans  in  the  autumn  of  1785,  aemm^g  the  surrender 
of  that  tenitory  and  the  recognition  of  the  line  stipulated 
in  the  treaty  of  1783.  The  Spanish  authorities  of  Loui- 
siana had  denied  having  any  power  to  act  on  thestibject, 
which  was  properly  referred  by  the -respective  parties  t^ 
the  governments  of  Spain  and  of  the  United  ^tateSi 

Besides,  the  Mississippi  was  the  natutid  outlet  for  the 
conuQerce  of  l^e  American  people  in  th^,  western  settle- 
mentsj  and  that  commerce  w|»poor^  doiim  i||»0n  New 
Oi|eitil%  as  it  1^^  w^  tihejwaves  c«f  l^aiij  mi^^^^^ 
The  dlil^  wl^  were  (^ectedl;]^ •the  SpafB^ 
ties  w^^'  cQii^^^eect  m  cfppressiy^;  and  lOQBi^ ',  \^e 


<^ 


•i.*^ 


■A-.f 


..  ^       \ 


m 


1^'^  • 

f^    :;|:- 

sj^m^s^iv 

i 

"^^m!J=«.;,.^...<::^•SS:;:  '-  -.^^ 

■^ '  "^''itik. 

#' 


* 


182         i^AVABno^a  fears  of  tits  ak£j{ioans. 

sturdy  flat-boatmen  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky^  on  tbeir 
return  home,  had  always  a  long  list  of  seiznres,  oonflsca- 
tions,  fines,  imprisonments,  extortions,  or  vexatious  delays 
to  publish,  and  those  tales,  which  probably  in  many 
cases  were  exaggerated,  kept  in  constant  agitation  a 
population,  who  considered  that  they  derived  from  nature 
itself  a  right  to  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi 
It  was  the  highway  to  the  sea  given  to  them  by  God, 
and  they  were  determhied  to  have<  it.  Hence  the  excite- 
ment went  up  to  such  a  degree,  that  an  open  invasion  of 
Louisiana  was  talked  of,  and  a  forcible  seizure  :>f  New 
Orleans  contemplated.  But  before  resorting  to  these 
extreme  measures,  the'  patriotic  yeomanry  of  the  West 
had  applied  to  Congress,  and  urged  upon  that  body  the 
necessity  of  obtaining  from  Spain  by  negotiation,  at  least 
such  commercial  privileges  as  were  indispensable  to  the 
very  existence  of  the  western  settlenients.  *  'Hiese  were 
circumstances  of  Sufficient  importance  Jo  secure  the  niost 
vigilant  attention,  on  the  part  of  the  Spanish  functionaries 
at  New  Orleans.         ^  '  ' 

Thus,  on  the  12th  of  February,  1T8Y,  Navarro,"^  the 
Intendant,  wrote  to  his  government :  "  The  powerftil 
enemies  we  have  to  fear  in  this  province  ftre  not  the 
English,  but  the  Afcricans,  whom  we  must  oppose  by 
active  and  sufficient  measures.  It  is  not  enough  to  have 
granted  Louisiana  a  restricted  commerce  for  ten  years ; 
it  is  indispensable  to  use  other  resources.  It  is  of  little 
importance  that  her  productions  should  go  to  France  or 
anywhere  else,  if  we  are  incapable  of  turning  them  to 
our  profit.  When  w,e  cannot  supply  her  with  articles 
nubufactured  by  ourselves,  it  is  of  no  consequence  if  her 
wuits  in  <that  respect  are  satisfied  by  other  natioiis,  pro- 
vided this  toleration  contrilSnites,  as  it  doe^  to  the  daily 
increase  of  the  white  and  black  population  pt  tlu$  cplony, 
extends  commerce,  quickens  industry,  spreads  the  domain 


J-:, 


m 


-'■»> 


•r. 


,^^ 


KAVABKO^S  VMXBB  OF  THE  AMERXCAITS. 


188 


of  agrioultnrej  and  gives  rise  to  a  state  of  things,  whiob, 
in  a  few  yeai*,  mH  be  prodnctive  of  considerable  sams 
to  the  Ung.  'Without  this  toleration^  and  without  the 
oomolercial  fhinchises  granted  by  the  royal  schedule  of 
the  22d  of  January,  1782,  this  country  would  have  been 
a  desert,  when  it  is  calculated  to  become  one  of  the 
most  important  portions  of  America. 

"There  is  no  time  to'be  lost.  Mexico  is  on  the  other 
side  of  the  .Mississippi,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  already 
formidable  establishments  of  the  Americans.  The  only 
way  to  check  them  is  with  a  proportionate  population, 
and  it  is  not  by  imposing  comm^mal  f  eatrictions  that 
this  population  is  to  be  acquired,  but  by  grant&g  a  pru- 
dent extension  and  freedom  of  trade.* 

'*I  address  yoioi^  IJxcellencjr  fix)m  the  ftilness"  of'  the 
patriotic  spirit  with  which  I  am  animated.  I  have  n4' 
other  object  ik  view  w&a  the  interest  of  my  sovereign. 
I  consider  the  province  of  Louisiana  as  a  portion  of  his 
royal  dqmain,  and  I  wish  that  I  could,  with  every  power 
of  reasoning  which  I  may  possess,  succeed  in  demon- 
strating the  necessity  of  developing  the  strength  and 
vitality  of  this  province,  because,  from  every  one  o|,those 
innumerablie  settlements  which  conmiand  us  from  their 
natural'  position,  I  see  clouds  rising  and  threatening  us 
with  a  stoim  that  will  soon  burst  upon  this  province, 
and  the  damage*  would  be  still  gret^ter,  if  ulifortunately 
the  inundation  extended  itself  to  the  territories  of  New 

Spain.*'t 

*  Nohay  qae  perder  tiempa  M^ioo  MtA  de  la  otra  orillx  del  Miariaidppi, 
en  la«  immedii^onM  de  esto*  hoy  formidablM  ^ftableflimientoe  d«  AmerieaiMw.' 
£1  modo  de  coattwreatario*  e«  ana  pol)la«ioa  propproibitlida,  y  etta  no  ae  forma 
con  reBtriccitniai^  sino  «on  alguna  pradeAte  libertad  «n  el  oomeNio. 

f  fiablo  a  Tueitra  Escellencia  Ueno  del  eapiritu  patriotico  de  que  etioy  reve** 
tido ;  miti  iat^iKiio#Ba  ton  lo*  iatereees  ie  mi  eobMnmo.  Mirp  1*  provinda  de  la 
Lvinantl  e^oM  tt^  poreion  de  sa  pii^riedad,  y  qoMira  pentiadir  oon  todn  mi 
taaon  a  qoeeefomfltc^  p^M  en  e|4*  paeblo  de  loe  innmeiii,t)LM  que  n<^  dominan 
per  Q«t«M«l  aiti^efaiii,  •»  pnipaia  ebatM  e^  pnitkcia  on  anbiado  qve  deaoar- 


fSl 


# 


.'■«». 


»>« 


m 


# 


m 


\  \ 


184 


DBFSirCSL]»8  STATE  OF  TUE  OOliONT. 


•#  In  tho  montl)  of  March,  Governor  Mir6,  in  a  despatdi 

to  the  Marquis  of  La  Sonora,*  secretary  of  state,  and 
president  of  the  council  of  the  ladies,  commented  with 
much  earnestness  on  the  defenceless  state  of  the  o(^ony, 
and  represented  the  Plaquemine  Turn  as  the  best  spot 
to  be  fortified.  He  sent  the  estimate  of  the  expenses 
which  would  be  required  for  the  erection  of  some  bat- 
teries and  a  small  fort  at  that  locality,  and  which  the 
engineers  had  put  dowii  at  $37,000. 

In  consequence  of  the  treaties  of'  alliance  and  com- 
merce concluded  with  the  Indians  at  Mobile  and  Pensa- 
cola,  in  1*784,  and  in  order  to  carry  them  into  execution, 
and  supply  them  with  the  objects  of  trade  which  were 
necessary  to  their  wants,  commercial  privileges  had  been 
conceded  to  William  Panton  at  Pensacola,  and  to  James 
Mather  at  Mobile,  who^  in  consideration  of  these  privi- 
leges, had  stipulated  with  the  Spanish  government  to 
satisfy  the  Indians.  But  the  goods  which' were  to  the 
taste  of  these  people,  and  which  could  "be  procured  with 
more  ease  than  any  other,  were  to  be  obtainld  in  Eng- 
land only,  and  therefore  the  ships  of  these  two  merchants 
had  been  permitted,  as  an  exception,  to  resort  to  the 
port  of  London.  The  Spanish  government^  however, 
soon  took  umbrage 'a{  the  liberties  which  it  had  granted, 
and  in  August,  1780,  they  had  been  considerably  cu^ 
tailed  or  impeded  by  a  royal  decree.  Panton  and  Matter 
reinonstrated  with  vivacity,  and  represented  that,  if 
those  restrictions  were  not  repealed,  tiiey  would  remove 
themselves,  their  families  and  their  effects  to  some  other 
more  favored  spot  than  were  Pensacola  and  Mobile 
under  the  pernicious  influence  of  the  unwise  regulalaons 
of  Spanish  polijey.    On  the  ^4th  (^  M^ch,  Ooveimor 

ti«iTMdeNa«v«'Etpafi4;     ;;,  "         ': 

-    ■ »    .  "  - 


* 


..^. 


w 


XirOOUBAOEMEinS  TO  XMIORAITTS. 


185 


Mir6^  and  the  Interi'lunt  Navarro,  in  a  joint  de^atcYi, 
ba<iked  the  reokmattonB  of  Panton  and  Mather,  and 
commented  at  length  on  the  importance  of  conciliating 
the  Indians,  aud  of  keeping  np  with  them  as  extensive  a 
trade  as  possible,  at  a  time  when  they  were  in  arms  to 
defend  their  territories  against  the  encroachments  ot 
American  ambition. 

Alive  to  the  policy  of  increasing  the  population  of 
Louisiana,  Governor  Mir6  somewhat  relaxed  the  restric- 
tions upon  the  Mver  trade,  reduced  the  transit  duties, 
and  encouraged  emigration  from  the  west  to  the  Spanish 
possessions  on  the  Mississippi,  particularly  to  the  parishes 
of  West  Florida.  He  therefore  givt' ted  permission  to  a 
number  of  American  families  to  settle  in  Louisiana,  and 
to  introduce  the  utensils,  effects  and  provisions  of  which 
they  Diight  stand  in  need,  except  brandy  and  sugar,  on  ^ 
their  paying  a  duty  of  six  per  cent.  Desirous  of  ascer- 
taming  the  number  of  Acadians  who  had  settled  in 
Louisiana,  he  ordered  a  census  of  them  to  be  made,  and 
in  was  found  that,  in  1787,  that  population  amounted  to 
1,587  souls. 

The  province  of  Louisiana  would  soon  have  become  a 
desert,  if  it  had  been  limited  to  trading  with  Spain  only, 
and  if  the  Spanish  restrictions  on  its  commerce  had  been 
strictly  enforced ;  but  the  colonial  government  had 
winked  at  its  infractions,  and,  for  some  time,  a  lucrative 
trade  had  been  carried  on,  not  only  on  the  Mississippi, 
but  also,  and  principally,  with^the  city  of  PhUadelpMa. 
Gardoqui,  the  Spanish  minister  sent  to  the  United  Stotesj 
had  himself  connived  at  it;  suddenly,  however,  either 
from*  the(  <H>rrupt  motives  attribnted^tb'  him,  or  from 
whateVesr  dther  catee,  he  reprimanded^NavttiTO'  with 
extreme  severity  on  i^  ii^aotioBS  of  tiie 'laws  of 
Spain,  added  that  he  had  informed  his  con^  of  theb^ 
fjEust8,4ind  foFoed%4ihe  Inteadant^to  pecNse^  to  lihe  harshest 


W  % 


'4, 


i* 


i;"M 


,*' 


'ib 


'  KlfiliffiHHIl 


M}ff' 


186 


COMMEBOIAL  DIStBESS  OF  THE  GOLOKT. 


measares  against  such  delinquencies.  This  produced  a 
crisis  by  which  the  colony  was  greatly  distressed,  and  a 
great  portion  of  the  population  was  reduced  to  such 
extremities,  that  the  Intendant  informed Jiis  government, 
on  the  10th  of  October,  1787,  that  he  had  assumed  the  re- 
sponsibility of  continuing  to  the  Acadians,  for  two  mo'nths 
more,  their  rations,  which  were  to  have  been  suspended. 
The  annual  donations  in  money,  provisions  and  other 
articles  to  the  Acadians,  the  Islehos^  or  emigrants  from 
the  Canary  Islands,  and  to  the  Indiafis,  were  a  heavy 
drain  on  the  Spanish  treasury,  for  they  amounted  to 
1,783,381  reales  deplata^  or  about  $173,388;  To  this  is 
to  be  added  a  debt  of  $760,779, | which  the  Spanish 
government  had  contracted  in  Louisiana  during  the  war 
against  the  English,  and  which  remained  to  be  paid. 
It  is  not  astomshiag  therefore  that  Navarro,  in  a  despatch 
of  the  19th  of  December,  1787,  addressed  to  Vald^s,  the 
successor  of  the  Marquis  de  la  Sonora,  should  have  made 
an  energetic  description  of  the  misery  which  prevailed 
in  the  colony.  He  represented  that  there  was  a  com- 
plete stagnation  of  affaii^ ;  that  there  were  no  sales  of 
any  kind ;  that  foreigners  and  particularly  the  Europeian 
French  had  ceased  to  make  any  investments,  as  formerly, 
on  real  estates,  which  now  could  not  be  disposed  of,  even 
for  a  mere  nominal  price,  and  that  commerce,  agriculture, 
and  every  branch  of  industry  was  completely  withered 
and  destroyed. 

*-It  is  certain,"  said  he^  "that  this  province  requires 
different  regulations  from  those  which  his  gracious 
Majesty  has  established  for  his  other  possessions  in 
America,  and  that  to  submit  Louisiana  to  the  same 
re^men  is  to  operate  her  ruin.  Every  one  of  the  Spanish 
colonies  has  its  peculiar  productions  and  a  conmierce 
incidental  thereto.  Is  it  not  probable  that,  to  Subject 
them  to  the  samfe  uniform  system,  is  to  clip  the  wings 


'# 


ITAVABBOS  ADYIOE  TO  HIS  QOYEBITMENT. 


187 


of  prQgre'^?^  The  peci^iar  position  of  Louisiana  ought 
to  e^dude  her  |rom  the  application  of  that  system  of 
uni^fonuity.  I  have  been  serving  his  Majesty  iii  this 
colony  for  about  twenty-two  years,  not  without  prejudice 
to  my,  health.  During  all  this  time,  I  have  not  ceased 
to  observe  the  various  changes  and  vicissitudes  which 
Imve  been  fatal  to  its  prosperity,  and  I  have  never 
omitted  to  mention  them  to  the  government,  not  how- 
ever without  the  constant  apprehension  of  their  not 
being  attended  to,  on  account  of  the  little  importance 
of  the  individual  who  framed  these  representations.   ; 

"The  commercial  franchises  which  his  Majesty  had 
granted  in  his  schedule  of  the  22d  of  January,  1782,  and 
the  latitudinarian  extension  which  was  given  to  them, 
were  sufficiently  powerful  to  impart  to  this  colony  the 
development  which  it  needs.  But  there  soon  intervened 
certain  r^^strictions,  which  are  diamet;rically  opposed  to 
the  concessions  made,  and  which  a  subaltern  officer  can- 
not disregai'd  without  exposing  himself  to  disapprobation 
and  disgrace.  * 

"Thus  the  permission  which  had  been  given  to  pur- 
chase negroes  from  the  colonies  of  our  allies  and  of 
neutrals,  and  to  introduce  them  here,  after  having  pild 
for  them,  either  with  our  productions,  or  with  mon^^y, 
on  which  was  to  be  levied  an  export  duty  of  6  per  cent, 
only,  was  a  proof  of  his  Majesty's  solicitude  and  preditec- 
tion  for  Louisiana.  But  there  presents  itself  a  ^fficulty, 
which  destroys  all  the  gTaciqpsness  of  the  grant:  for 
instance,  the  law  30,  tit.  27,  lib.  9,  de  la.Becopilaoion  de 
Indias  decrees,  that  no  foreigner  shall  be  permitted  to 
sell  on  credit  in  the  Lidies  any  object  of  commerce.  If 
this  law  is  to  be  exl^nded  to  Louisiana,  it  follows  ad  a 


'^ 


■'W^* 


Mf' 


*  OMtar  1m  alM  dd  pngrwa 


m 


*■•* 


h 


1S8 


NAYABBO'S  ADVIOX  TO  HIS  QOYEBNMinfl. 


# 


natural  consequence,  that  the  importation  of  n^oes 
must  cease,  and,  from  that  moment,  we  must  expect  that 
this  colony,  T^hich  promises  to  become  one  of  the  most 
considerable  in  America,  is  soon  to  be  the  poorest  and 
the  most  miserable. 

"  Nobody  doubts  but  that  the  wealthiest  nations  con- 
sider credit  as  the  tutelar  deity  of  commerce,  and  that 
all,  without  a  solitary  exception,  skilfiilly  avail  them- 
selves  of  it,  to  execute  their  designs  and  secure  the  pro- 
gressive development  of  their  resources,  and  that  the 
most  prosperous  is  the  one  which  has  the  most  of  it.  I;t 
is  notorious  that  there  are  no  commercial  enterprises 
which  do  not  rest  mainly  on  credit,  and  that,  if  it  were 
required  that  they  should  be  carried  on  with  specie  and 
cash  payments  only,  mercantile  speculations  would  be 
extremely  rare.  In  such  matters  reputation  is  wealth, 
honesty  1°.  security,  and  this  is  the  cuiTent  coin  which 
facilitates  the  most  important  operations  of  commerce. 
Without  these  powerful  auxiliaries,  a  "Country  which 
should  be  in  want  of  capital,  would  have  no  means  of 
progressing,  and  would  eternally  remain  in  its  beggarly 
condition,  should  it  be  prohibited  by  legislation  from 
ha,vmg  recourse  to  credit. 

"  Louisiana  is,  in  appearance,  greatly  protected,  but 
she  is  not  so  in  reality,  and  she  is  far  from  being  ranked 
among  the  provinces  that  are  rich,  and  if  even  those 
cannot  trade  without  credit,  how  can  it  be  done  by  this 
one,  which  is  in  its  cradle  ^nd  swaddling  clothes  ? 
ft  J'  Relying  on  the  good  faith  of  the  colony,  the  mer^ 
chant  uses  credit  to  buy  negroes  in  the  islands  of  friendly 
powers,  sells  them  here  on  a  credit  of  one  year  or  more; 
find  tluB  course  benefits  Mm,  and  enr^hes  the  planter  by 
giving  him  hands  with  which  he  can  increase  his  crops 
and  procure  his  means  of  payment ;  and  agricultiire. 


ixatjlR'bo's  feabs  of  amebioak  ambition.      189 


being  tbiXEt  fostered,  secures  to  the  king  an  augmentation 
of  revenue  in  proportion  to  ikat  of  tlie  province.  These 
are  the  effects  of  credit.** 

Navarro  then  goes  On  analysing  the  causes  of  the  de- 
cline of  the  colony,  and  pointing  out  every  commercial 
restriction  to  which  he  attributes  it,  and,  among  those 
causes,  he  mentions  the  apprehensions  which  are  pro- 
duced by  the  threats  of  the  Americans^  He  concludes 
with  enumerating  the  means  which  are  calculated  to 
people  the  country  and  make  it  satisfied  with  its  (govern- 
ment. ^  s 

"It  is  necessary,"  ssiid  he,  "to  keep  in  mind  that,  be- 
tween  this  province  and  the  territories  of  New  Spaan, 
there  is  nothing  but  the  feeble  barrier  of  the  Mississippi, 
which  it  is  as  easy  to  pass  as  it  is  impossible  to  protect, 
and  that,  if  it  be  good  poKcy  to  fortify  this  province  by 
drawing  a  large  population  within  its  limits,  there  are 
no  other  means  than  that  of  grantmg  certain  franchises 
to  commerce,  leaving  aside,  as  much  as  possible,  all 
restrictions  and  shackles,  or  at  least  postponing  them  to 
a  future  time,  if  they  must  exist.  In  addition,  the 
government  must  distinguish  itself  by  the  equity  of4U 
administration,  the  suavity  of  i^s  relations  with  tie 
people,  and  the  disinterestedness  of  its  officers  in  th^ 
dealings  with  the  foreigners  who  may  resort  tx)  the  co- 
lony. This  is  the  only  way  to  form,  in  a  short  time,  a 
solid  rampart  for  the  protection  of  the  kingdom  of 
Mexico.  ^  , 

"  It  is  an  incontestable  axiom,  that  every  remedy  ought 
to  be  proportioned  to  the  evil  to  wHch  it  is  to  be  ap- 
plied; aim  the  danger  which  threatens  us  £rom  the 
proximity  of  the  .^^erieans  isof  such  a  nature,  thf t  it 
will  soon  be  too  late  to  ward  it  ofl^  if  iwe  do  noi-now 
guard  against  it  by  the  inost  efficacious  measures.  IVen 
if  the  t^tory  ctf  New  %M«,djM)»ld  aever  be  the  object 


■m 


si*a 


mi- 


■# 


■i>; 


100 


EPIDEMICS  m  THE  dOLOWT. 


of  the  ambition  of  the  Americans,  they  onght  to  be  for 
ns  a  cause  of  constant  distrost  and  apprehension,  becanse 
they  are  not  unaware  that  the  river  de  Areas  is  not  dis- 
tant from  New  Mexico,  and  that  there  are  mines  in  the 
Ouachita  district.  These  are  powerful  motives  for  a 
nation  restless,  poor,  ambitious,  and  capable  of  the  most 
daring  enterprises."*  It  is  evident  that  the  Intendant 
Navarro  was  not  deficient  in  perspicacity,  and  that  the 
distinguishing  traits  of  the  American  character  had  soon 
made  themselves  known  to  the  rulers  of  Louisiana. 

The  province  had,  in  this  year  1787,  produced  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  com,  rice,  and  other  grains  for  its  home 
consumption,  but  it  had  made  only  half  a  crop  of  indigo, 
which  was  the  chief  staple  of  the  colony.  To  increase 
the  distress  of  the  colonists,  the  summer  was  marked  by 
fevers,  which  frequently  and  easily  assumed  a  malignant 
type.  There  was  also  an  epidemic  catarrh,  from  which 
few  were  exempt,  and  by  which  many-  were  seriously 
incommoded.  The  small  pox  infested  the  whole  pro- 
vince, and  those  whom  fear  prevented  from  being  inocu- 
lated became  the  victims  of  their  prejudices.  All  those 
who  were  attacked  by  the  contagion,  either  died,  or 
weire  dangerously  sick.  The  inoculajtion  was  fatal  only 
to  very  few,  but  this  was  enough  to  confirm  in  their 
systematic  opposition  those  who  declaimed  against  this 
wise  and  humane  practice.  This  disease  had  struck  such 
terror  into  the  Acadian  families,  that,  when  one  of  their 
members  was  attacked  by  the  disease,  they  used  to 
abandon  him  to  solitude  and  to  his  fate,  leaving  him  to 
his  own  resources,  but  supplying  him  with  all  the  pro- 
visions and  other  articles  they  supposed  he  would  need^ 
although  breaking  off  all  communication  with  him,  and 
thereby  deprivii^  him  of  their  assistance.    Some  of 

*  PoderoMM  motivo*  para  noa  naeion  inqoieta,  pobre,  ambicioM  y  flrriaeftda. 


* 


MIBd  0ON0IXJATE9  THE  IKDUIUB. 


101 


theiQ)  however,  wlio  were  established  in  Ft.1ioiana^  and 
who  numbered  eighty  persons  of  both  sexes  and  of  all 
ages,  had  the  fortitude  to  have  themselves  inoculated, 
and  not  one  of  them  had  cause  to  repent  having  taken 
that  determination.* 

Always  haunted  by  the  fear  of  their  restless  neighbors, 
the  Spaniards  spared  no  means  to  conciliate  the  Indians, 
in  order  to  interpose  them  between  themselves  and  the 
objects  of  their  apprehension,  and  succeeded  in  drawing 
to  New  Orleans  thirtynaix  of  the  most  influential  chiefs 
of  the  Choctaws  and  Chickesaws,  whom  they  cajoled 
and  feasted,  and  whose  friendship  and  alliance  they 
secured.  Governor  Mir6  received  them  with  great 
pomp,  gave  them  rich  presents,  harangued  them,  smoked 
the  pipe  with  them,  and  made  a  liberal  distribution  of 
medals  and  collars.  But  the  regent  of  the  Chickasaws 
(the  king  being  a  minor)  would  not  permit  himself  to 
be  decorated  with  a  medal  savins:  that  such  insisma 
might  be  honoi^onferringdistbcloDB  for  his  warriors 
and  the  inferior  classes  of  his  people,  but  that,  with 
regard  to  himself,  he  was  sufficiently  distinguished  by 
his  blood  and  birth,  and  that  to  act  as  the  friend  aiid 
ally  of  the  Spaniards,  and  to  acknowledge  himself  tlSe 
son  of  the  Great  Father,  who  was  on  the  other  side  of 
the  water,  meaning  the  king  of  Spain,  it  was  sufficient 
that  he  should  have  received  his  banner  and  his  presents ; 
"which  is  a  manifest  proof,"  wrote  Navarro,  "of  the- 
existence  of  the  pride  and  point  of  honor,  observable 
even  among  Ilie»  barbarous  and  uncivilized  nations." 
The  Governor  took  them  to  a  public  ball,  with  which? 
they  seemed  to  be  delighted,  expressing  the  beliaf  that 
aU  the  beautiful  l^es  present  were  sisters,  and  had 


H; 


*  NjftTArro'i  dMpAtoh  of  the  19th  of  December,  lIBfli 


?5|p' 


m  '   ■HI 

111  Mm 


199 


OOST  OF  nrDIAN  FBIEKD6HIP. 


fallen  from  heaven.*  The  Governor  also  entertained 
them  with  a  military  parade  and  field  manoeuvres,  which 
they  surveyed  with  much  attention  and  with  demon- 
strations of  pleasure.  Finally  they  were  fully  won  over 
by  such  arts,  and  they  retui^ed  to  their  village?  with 
Spanish  hearts.  Impressed  with  this  flattering  convic- 
tion, Navarro  wrote  to  his  government:  "All  these 
nations  are  entirely  devoted  to  us,  and  I  can  also  safely 
affirm,  that  the  Ajnericans  will  not  gain  much  ground 
with  them."f  This  boasted  friendship  of  the  ^dians 
was  not  without  being  felt  by  the  Spanish  treasury,  and 
it  appears,  from  an  account  rendered  on  the  5th  of 
January,  IT 88,  that  the  amount  of  the  sums  spent  in 
presente  to  the  Indians,  from  1779  to  1787  inclusive, 
rose  up  to  about  $300,000. 

It  is  in  1787,  that  the  History  of  Louisiana  becomes 
connected  in  a  remarkable  manner  with  that  of  the 
United  States,  by  the  formation  of  a  great  scheme,  the 
object  of  which  was  the  dismemberment  of  the  confede- 
racy so  lately  established.  The  first  Federal  Union,  which 
was  conceived  under  the  pressure  of  circumstances  ad- 
mitting of  no  delay,  was  weak  in  the  very  bones  and 
marrow  of  its  organization,  and,  although  it  had  carried 
the  United  States  triumphantly  through  +be  war  of  inde- 
pendence, it  was  inadequate  to  the  ultimate  purposes 
which  it  had  in  view,  and  was  threatened  with  dissolution 
on  account  of  its  inherent  imperfections.  The  western 
people,  particularly,  were  exceedingly  dissatisfied.  They 
were  then  separated  fr'om  the  Atlantie  states  by  an  im- 
mense distance,  by  the  intervening  barrier  of  a  wUdemess 

*'Crey«ndp  Im  SefLorM  bajadas  del  CSelo  y  Boponiendplwi  toiMh»rw«xum.— 

f  T  podemos  y»ooiii^egaridad  afinnarque  todiM  ««t«roaoii>n«  «lturi  BQMte* 
deTodotai,  y  tambieo  dedr  qne  l<w  Am«rio«ndt  no  h«nv>  P9i'  «|||^  bido  moobo 


1 


SCHEMES  TO  DUBMEHBER  THE  UinTSD  8XATES.       193 

tmd  liigli  mountains,  by  &  diflbrence  of  imrBoks,  of  habits, 
and  interests,  and  they  felt  leds  thtoatty  other -jportion 
of  the  iTtiit^d  States  the  force  of  the  lies  which  bound 
them  together,  and  the  necessity  of  that  nnion.  They 
bad  re}>eatedly  land  their  grievances  and  wrongs  before 
the  general  goVel<nment,  and  obtained  no  redress.  They 
had  in.  vain  petitioned  Congress  to  secnTe  for  them  the 
free  use  of  the  MissisSip^yi,  without  which  it  was  useless 
for  them  to  till  the  ground,  since  they  had  no  market  for 
theif  produce.  The  growiflg  population  of  that  newly 
settled  region  became  intensely  excited,  and  the  bold 
and  sturdy  yeomen  of  the  WM  determined  to  take  their 
case  into  their  own  hands.  But  if  they  were  unaninio  js 
as  to  liiat,  they  were  divided  as  to  the  means  of  acconi« 
plishing  their  object,  and  they  had  even  split  into  five 
different  parties.  ;     . 

"The  first  (Judge  Martin's  History,  vol.  ii*,  p.  101) 
was  tor  being  independent  of  the  United  States,  and  for 
the  formation  of  a  new  republic,  unconnected  with  the 
old  one,  and  resting  on  a  basis  of  its  own,  and  a  dose 
alliance  with  Spain. 

"  Another  party  w^as  willing  that  the  country  should- 
become  a  part  of  the  pirovince  of  Louisiana,  and  submit 
to  the  adidission  of  the  laws  of  Spain. 

"  A  third  de^d  a  war  wilh  Spak  itiid  ^  fii€azii# 
New  Orleans.  "  ~ 

"  A  fourth  plan  was  to  prevail  on  Congress,  by  a  sh6w 
of  preparation  for  war,  to  extort  from  the  Cabinet  of 
Madrid  what  it  persisted  in  refu^g. 

"The  xast;  ad  tinnatural  as  the  secohd,  w^  to  solicit 
France  to  iMXMJure  a  retrocession  of  T^ouiEOiaia;  and  to 
extend  her  protection  to  Kentuc%." 

WdEl  informed  of  the  co^ditioh  of  thingii  theti^sds^ig, 
Cbverii^  l^dviA  |x>t^^ 

Gardoqui,  at  PhSadelphia,  tv%  both  pursuhig  the  same 

13 


<p . 


'*!!." 


194 


PLAKB  OF  MIR6   Ain>  OABDQQUL 


1 


object,  which  was — ^to  draw  to  Loiiisiaa&  as  much  of  the 
western  population  as  conld  be  induced  to  emigrate,  md 
even  to  operate,  if  possible,  a  dismemberment  of  the  cdn- 

deracy,  by  the  secession  of  Kentucky  and  of  the  other 
discontented  districts  from  the  rest  of  the  United  States. 
Both  these  Spanish  functionaries  were  partners  in  the 
same  game,  and  yet  they  were  unwilling  to  commdnicate 
to  each  other  the  cards  they  had  in  hand.  Each  one  was 
bient  upon  his  own  plan,  and  taking  care  to  conceal  it 
from  the  other ;  each  one  had  his  own  secret  agents  un- 
known to  the  colleague  whom  he  ought  to  have  called 
to  his  assistance.  There  was  a  want  of  concert,  {urisii  g 
perhaps  from  jealousy,  from  the  lack  of  confidence,  from 
ambition,  from  the  desire  of  engrossing  all  the  praise  and 
reward  in  case  of  success,  or  from  some  other  cause. 
Be  it  what  it  may,  the  consequence  was,  that  the  schemes 
of  these  two  men  frequently  counteracted  each  other, 
and  resulted  in  a  series  of  measures  which  wore  at  va- 
riance and  contradictory,  and  which  seemed  inexplicable 
to  him  who  had  not  the  key  to  what  was  going  on  be- 
hind the  curtain. 

Among  the  most  influential  and  popular  men  in  the 
west,  through  whose  co-operation  Miro  hoped  to  accom- 
plish his  object,  was  General  James  WiUdnson,  who  had 
already  acquu-ed  considerable  reputation  in  the  military 
service  of  the  United  States,  and  who  had  lately  emi- 
grated to  that  section  of  the  country.  This  individu^ 
had  some  friends  among  the  merchants  of  New  Orleans, 
with  whom  he  corresponded,  and  on  whose  influence 
with  the  Spanish  Colonial  government,  backed  by  his 
own  talents,  address  and  management,  he  confidently 
relied  in  his  hope  to  be  able  to  open  a  lucrative  trade 
between  that  town  and  the  western  countiy,  which  trade 
would  be  eicljttsively  conducted  by  or  through  himself, 
and  would  thus  secure  tif^him  a  rapid  and  large  fortune. 


wijLXizrsoir^s  visit  to  vkw  orlbaits. 


19ft 


GenfkBl  Wilkinsoii  had  therefore  descended  to  New  0^ 
leftno,  i&  the  garb  of  a  merchant  and  speculator,  with  a 
cai^  of  tobacco,  flour,  batter  and  bacon.  Orders  had 
been  issued  to  seiae  and  con^scate  the  boat  and  its  load, 
wheft  Wilkinson,  having  had  an  interview  with  Governor 
Mirdj  was  permitted  to  sell  his  cargo  without  paying 
ahy  duty.  Several  other  interviews  foUowei,  and  Wil- 
kinson was  hospitably  feasted  by  the  Spanish  Governor, 
who  became  every  day  more  Mendly  and  condescending, 
and  who  granted  to  his  guest  permission  to  introduce 
into  Louisiana,  tree  of  duty,  many  western  articles  of 
trade  which  were  adapted  t^i^  its  market.  Wilkinson 
remained  in  New  Orleans  during  the  months  of  June, 
July,  and  August,  and  sailed  in  September  for  Phila* 
delphia.  Many  wondered  at  the  intimacy  which  had 
grown  up,  during  this  time,  between  Mir6  and  Wilkin- 
son, and  sly  hints  and  insinuations  were  thrown  out  as 
to  its  nature  and  tendency. 

^*  While  Colonel  Wilkinson  was  in  New  Orleans,  in 
June,  1787,"  says  Butler  in  his  Ilii^tory  of  Kentucky, 
"  Governor  Mir6  requested  him  to  give  his  sentiments 
freely  in  writing,  respecting  the  political  interests  of 
Spain  and  the  inhabitants^  of  the  United  States  dwelling 
in  the  regions  upon  the  western  waters.  This  he  did  at 
length  in  a  document  of  fifteen  or  twenty  pages,  which 
the  Gbvemor  transmitted  to  Madrid,  to  be  laid  before 
the  King  of  Spain.  In  this  document  he  urges  the 
natural  right  of  the  western  people  to  follow  the  current 
of  the  rivers  flowing  through  their  conntiy  to  the  sea. 
He  states  the  extent  of  the  country,  the  richness  of  the 
soil,  abounding  in  choice  productions,  proper  for  forei^ 
markets,  to  which  they  have  no  means  of  conveying 
them  should  ^e  M^issMppi  be  shut  agunst  them. :  He 
sets  ^fr^#d  advanta^  which  Spdn  might  derive  ftom 


n^ 


106 


Wilkinson's  mehobial. 


irll 


aUowIug  them  the  free  use  of  the  river.    He  proceeds 
to  show  the  rapid  increase  of  popolation  in  the  western 
country,  and  the  eagerness  with  which  eyery  individual 
looked  forward  to  the  navigation  of  that  river.    He 
describes  the  general  abhorrence  with  which  they  re- 
ceived the  intelligence  that  Congress  was  about  to  saori- 
fioe  their  dearest  interest  by  ceding  to  Spain,  for  twenty 
years,  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi;  and  represents 
it  as  a  fact  that  they  are  on  the  point  of  separating  them* 
selves  entirely  from  the  Union,  on  that  account.    He 
addresses  himself  to  the  Governor's  fears  by  an  ominous 
display  of  their  strength,*  and  ai'gues  the  impoHcy  of 
Spain  in  being  so  blmd  to  her  own  interest  as  to  re- 
fuse them  an  amicable  participation  in  the  navigation  of 
the  river,  thereby  forcing  them  into  violent  measures. 
He  assures  the  Spanish  Governor  that,  in  case  of  such 
alternative,  "Great  Britain  stands  ready,  with  escpanded 
arms,  to  receive  them,"  and  to  assist  their  efforts  to  ac- 
complish that  object,  and  quotes  a  conversation  with  a 
member  of  the  British  parliament  to  that  effect    He 
states  the  facnlity  with  which  the  province  of  Louisiana 
might  be  invaded  by  the  united  forces  of  the  English 
kad  the  Americans,  the  former  advancing  from  Canada 
by  the  way  of  the  Illinois  river,  and  the  latter  by  way 
of  the  Ohio  river ;  also,  the  practicability  of  proceeding 
from  Louisiana  to  Mexico,  in  a  march  of  twenty  days ; 
that  in  case  of  such  invasion,  Great  Brit^  wiU  Mm  at 
the  possession  of  Louisiana  and  New  Orleans^  and  leave 
the  navigatio^n  of  the  river  free  to  the  Americans*    He 
urges  forcibly  the  danger  of  the  Spanish  interests  in 
North  Ameriefi,  with  Great  Britain  in  possesrion  di  the 
Misinasipfpi,  as  she  was  already  in  possession  of  the  St. 
Lawrence  and  the  great  lakes.    He  condudes  with  an 
ssj^ogyiot  thei^frwdom  with  whi^  he  had  expressed 


OBOBOX  MOBOAN,  LBAOSB  OF  XMIOBAim. 


197 


hk^vidWA  'by  the  6k>vemor'B  paiticiilar  request;  that 
saoh.  aa  ihey  are,  they  are  from  a  man  whbsthaadmay 
err^but  whim  hmrt  oamiot  deoeiveJ* 

So  much  fbr  Wilkinson's  ostensible  doings.  But  it 
leaked  oat  at  the  time  and  passed  onrrent  among  those 
who  pretended  to  be  well  infornibd,  that  Wilkinson  had 
delivered  to  the  Spanish  Governor  a  memorial  contain- 
ing other  representations  which  were  kept  from  the 
public  eye. 

In  the  mean  time,  Gardoqni,  the  Spanish  minister  at 
Philadelphia,  was  acting  in  conformity  with  his  cherished 
plan  of  fomenting  emigration  from  the  American  s^ttle^ 
ments  into  Louisiana,  and  one  of  his  chief  agents  was  m 
individual  named  Pierre  Wower  d'Arg^s.  For  this  pur- 
pose, he,  with  the  authorization  of  his  court,  invited  the 
people  of  Kentucky  and  those  who  dwelt  on  the  Cum- 
berland river  to  establish  themselves  in  West  Florida 
and  the  S^orida  district  of  Lower  Louisiana,  under  the 
protection  of  Spain,  and  he  made  them  liberal  grants  of 
land,  conceding  them  also  considerable  privileges  and 
favors.  The  Americans  who  should  settle  in  Louisiana 
were  to  be  permitted' to  introduce  slaves,  stock,  pro- 
visions for  two  years,  fanning  ^utensils  and  implements, 
without  paying  any  duty  whatever,  and,  as  to  any  other 
kind  of  propeiiiy,  it  might  be  imported  and  offered  for 
sale,  on  paying  a  duty  of  25  per  cent.  They  were  also 
promised  the  free  use  of  their  religion.  These  conditions 
proved  si^dettt  allurements  for  many  Americotis,  who, 
with  their  fiumliee,  removed  to  Louisiaiia  axid  biscfime 
Spanish  subjects.  Colonel  George  Morgan,  who  hod 
propo^  to  lead  a  large  number  df  enugrants,  hod 
obtained  from  Gardoqui  the  concession  ^  a  vast  tract 
of  land  about^fleventymiles  bdoilr  the  mou^h  of  the^^ 
Ohi<^y  6ii  Irlii^h  he  sub^nently  laid  the  fotti^dk^loii  ol^ 


# 


m 


108 


mB^  AND   WOWER  D^ARO^. 


city,  which  he  called  New  Madrid,  in  compliment  to  the 
Spaniards. 

Pierre  Wower  d'Argds  had  arrived  at  New  Orleans, 
and  applied  to  Mir6  for  the  support  of  Gardoqni's  views 
and  plans.  Mii*6,  who  found  them  not  agreeing  with 
his  own,  was  greatly  mortified,  and,  in  a  despatch  which 
he  addressed,  on  the  8th  of  January,  1788,  to  Yald^, 
the  minister  and  secretary  of  state  for  the  department 
of  the  Indies,  said:  ''I  fear  that  they  may  clash  with 
Wilkinson^s  principal  object,  &b  I  shall  attempt  to 
demonstrate  by  the  following  observations.  In  the  first 
place,  D'Argda  having  presented  himself  here  with  very 
little  prudence  and  concealment,  it  may  turn  out  that 
Wilkinson,  in  Kentucky,  being  made  aware  of  the  mis- 
sion of  this  agent,  may  think  that  we  are  not  sincere, 
and  that,  endeavoring  to  realize  his  project  without  him, 
we  use  him  merely  as  a  tool  to  facilitate  the  operations  of 
D' Arg^s.  Under  this  impression,  and.  under  the  belief 
that  D'Arg^s  may  reap  the  whole  credit  of  the  mdei-tak- 
ing  in  case  of  success,  it  may  happen  that  he  will  counter- 
act them ;  for  this  reason,  I  have  been  reflecting  for  many 
days,  whether  it  would  not  be  proper  to  communicate  to 
D^Arges  Wilkinson's  plans,  and  to  Wilkinson  the  mis- 
sion of  B'Arg^s,  in  order  to  unite  them  and  to  dispose 
them  to  work  in  concert.  But  I  dare  not  do  so,*  be- 
cause D'Arges  may  consider  that  the  greftt  projects  of 
Wilkinson  may  destroy  the  merit  of  his  own,  and  he 
may  communicate  them  to  some  one,  who  might  cause 
Wilkinson  tS  be  arrested  as  a  criminal,  and  also  because 

*  Peru  no  me  atrero  A  abraMr  ol^rimer  partido,  por  qti«  puede  D'Ailgdi  con- 
■idcnr  que  1m  gnades  pr«»}MtM  do  Wilkinson  dwtrnirian  el  merito  d«l  vayo,  y 
precipitane  (lo  que  oabe  en  lo  posibleX  A  oonfiarlos  4  algano  oapai  de  imflnir  a 
qde  ae  orestase  Wilkinson  como  criminal,  y ,  tambien  por  que  eate  ae  diagoatar  . 
rnuohd  d^  que  oth>  tiiTieae  parte  en  una  oonfiancade  q«e  depend  an  vid-  ; 
honor,  eomo  el  miamo  co^eaa  en  an  niemoria. 


umd^s  vnws  ok  amxbioan  smiobatiox.       199 

\inikiiii^oii  may  tuke  offence  at  another  being  admitted 
to  participate  in  confidential  proceedings,  npon  which 
depeud  his  life  and  honor,  as  he  expresses  himself  in  his 
memorial.*  Being  precluded  by  these  reasons  IVom 
opening  myself  on  the  snbject  with  D'Argds,  I  thought 
that  I  was  bound  to  be  equally  discreet  with  Wilkinson, 
until  I  knew  what  are  the  intentions  of  his  Mfgesty 
with  regard  to  the  latter.  »  «  ♦ 

'^Tbe  delivering  up  of  Kentucky  unto  his  Majesty's 
hands,  which  is  the  main  object  to  which  Wilkinson  has 
promised  to  devote  himself  entirely,  would  for  ever  con- 
stitute this  province  a  rampaii;  for  the  protection  of  New 
Spain.  Hence  I  consider  as  a  misfortune  the  project  of 
D'Arg^,  because  I  look  upon  the  commercial  franchises 
which  he  has  obtained  for  the  western  colonists,  and  the 
permission  given  to  the  people  to  introduce  any  kind  of 
articles  into  Louisiana,  on  their  paying  a  duty  of  twenty- 
five  per  cent.,  as  destructive  of  the  great  design  which 
has  been  conceived. 

"The  western  people  would  no  longer  have  any  in- 
ducement to  emigrate,  if  they  were  put  in  possession  of 
a  free  trade  with  us.  This  is  the  reason  why  this  privi- 
lege should  be  granted  only  to  a  few  individuals  having 
influence  among  them,  as  is  suggested  in  Wilkmson's 
memorial,  because  on  their  seeing  the  adv^tages  be- 
stowed on  these  few,  they  might  be  easily  persuaded  to 
acquire  the  like  by  becoming  Spanish  subjects." 

Mir6  also^  objected  to  the  imposition  of  the  duty  of 
twenty-five  per  cent,  on  certain  articles  to  be  introduced 
by  the  American  settlers  i%Louisiana,  because  he  saic 
that^  if  Wilkinson  was  to  be  believed,  Great' !^tain 


% 


*  Thin  euuiot  be  the  memorUl  op«uly  given  to  UirO  by  Wilkituon,  and  to 
lioh  Bntler  refers  in  bis  Hiatoiy  of.  Kentueky,  but  moat  be  tlie  other  ••ortt 
docnmen     f  wbioh  the  exiatenoe  WM  nnnNred  ftt  the  time. 


300         MIb6  ADVOCATES  COMMEBOIAL  FBANCHISES. 

made. them  much  more  liberal  propositions,  with  wHch 
jbhose  of  Spain  would  not  eompare  advantageonsly,v  With 
regard  to  the  religious  toleration  granted  by  Grardoqui, 
Miro  observed  that  it  was  too  eirtensive.  "It  will  be 
sufficient,"  said  he,  "to  promise  the  emigrants  that  they 
shall  not  be  forced  to  become  Catholics,  because,  if,  they 
are  told  that  their  religion  is  to  be  tolerated,  they  will 
infer  that  they  are  permitted  to  practise  it  freely,  which 
would  authorize  them  to  take  along  with  them  their 
ministers,  whose  absence  would,  on  the  contrary,  favor 
the  frequent  conversions  which  the  Irish  priesis  would 
make,  and  which,  otherwise,  would  be  much  more  diffi- 
cult. I  can  conceive  of  but  one  case  which  would  justify 
granting  to  those  people  the  free  exercise  of  their  reli- 
gion— that  is,  if  Kentucky  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to 
give  herself  up  to  His  Majesty  without  this  condition. 

"Your  Excellency  informs  me  that  the  agent  D'Arges 
will  give  it  to  be  imderstood  in  Kentucky,  with  dex- 
terity and  prudence,  without  committing  himself  at  all, 
that,  untn  the  question  of  boundaries  be  definitively 
settled,  the  Spanish  government  will  permit  those  inha- 
bitants and  colonists  to  send  down  their  produce  to  New 
Orleans,  <fec.,  and  Your  Excellency  goes  on  saying,  that 
there  are  good  grounds  for  expecting  that  many  mer- 
chants in  Spain  and  even  in  Havana  will  come  to  this 
port  to  erfjoy  this  lucrative  commerce,  particularly  if 
the  franchises  hitherto  granted  to  foreigners  were  cur- 
tailed. This  part  of  Your  Excellency's  communication 
obliges  me  to  represent,  on  the  strength  of  the  know- 
ledge which  I  have  of  this  province,  that  its  prosperity 
woSd  be  inunediately  checked,  if  the  slightest  restrictive 
alteration  were  added  to  the  royal  schedule  of  the  22d 
of  January,  1782,  which  allows  the  colonists  to  supply 
their  wants  from  France  and  its  colonies,  and  that  the 
greater  the  nmnber  of  emigrants  we  shall  obtain  from 


M 


■  MIBd's  INSTBUOncmS  ta  GEAKDPRi. 


2^ 


Kefccky  and  like  rest  of  the  United  States,  the  greater 
necessity  there  will  h^e  for  those  franchises^' in  order  that 
there  should  be  no  lack  of  the  goods  neeessaryto  sn^^ly 
the  wants  of  thVnew  comers;  for,  to  these  franchises 
we  are  indebted  for  the  aggrandizement  into  which  this 
province  has  been  expanding  itself  since  they  were 
granted.  It  wbnld  be  inopportune  to  repeat  at  length 
the  reasons  which  determined  His  Majesty  to  bestow 
those  favors,  and  I  shall  confine  myself  to  the  principal 
one,  which  is,  that  deer  skins  and  indigo,  which  are  the 
two  most  important  returns  of  trade  from  this  country 
to  France,  have  not,  to  this  day,  been  adapted  to  the 
commerce  of  Spain,  because  the  importation  of  those 
skins  into  the  Peninsula  gives  no  profit,  and  that  the 
indigo  of  Louisiana  is  inferior  to  that  of  Guatimala, 
which  is  cMefly  used  in  the  kingdom.  The  only  articles 
the  Americans  could  furnish  for  the  commerce  of  Spain 
and  Havana,  would  be  flour,  hemp,  materials  for  cordage, 
and  wrought  iron.  With  regard  to  flour,  it  would  be 
necessary  for  Your  Excellency  to  consider,  whether  its 
exportation  to  Havana  would  not  be  prejudicial  to  the 
provinces  of  New  Spain,  which  now  supply  that  mai^ 
ket,"  &c.  &c. 

On  the  20th  of  February,  Miro  sent  to  his  government 
a  copy  of  the  instructions  which  he  had  j^ven  to  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Charles  de  Grandpre,  Governof^f  Natchez, 
ki  relation  to  the  1582  Kentuckian  families,  which  Pierre 
Wower  d' Arg^  was  expected  to  lead  to  that  districtj 
In  that  document  Governor  Mir6  said  to  Grandpre : 
"You  wiU  make  concessions  of  land  to  every  family  on 
its  arrival ;  ta  each  family  not  owmng  negroes  at  all— ^ 
six  arpens  fronting  a  Bayou  or  water-course,  with  forty 
in  depth,  making  a  total  of  two  hundred  and  fotty  arpens; 
to  such  as  may  have  two,  three,  ot  four  slaves,  or  be  com- 
posed of  four  or  six  aMt  ftod  unmawiedsoms,  capable 


■m 


't- 


202 


OATH  IMPOSED  OK  EMIGRAiqB. 


I' 

m 


of  working — ten  arpens  in  fi^nt  by  forty  in  depth ;  to 
such  as  have  from  ten  to  twenty  negroes — rfifteen  arpens 
by  forty,  and  to  those  owning  more  than  twenty  negroes, 
twenty  arpens  by  forty. 

"  As  to  religion,  you  are  already  aware  that  the  will 
of  his  Majesty  is,  that  they  be  not  disturbed  on  that 
account,  but  I  think  it  proper  that  they  be  made  to  un- 
derstand, that  this  toleration  means  only  that  they  shall 
not  be  compelled  to  become  Catholics ;  and  it  is  expe- 
dient that  this  information  be  conveyed  to  them  in  such 
a  manner,  as  to  convince  them  that  they  are  not  to  have 
the  free  exercise  of  their  religion— that  is — ^that  they  are 
not  to  build  churches,  or  have  salaried  ministers  of  their 
creed — ^which  is  the  footing  on  which  have  been  placed 
the  settlers  who  have  preceded  them. 

"  I  herewith  forward  to  you  a  copy  of  the  oath  which 
you  will  require  of  them.  You  wiU  take  notice  of  its 
last  clause,  by  which  they  bind  themselves  to  take  up 
arms  against  those  who  may  come  as  enemies  from  the 
settlements  above ;  you  will  then,  after  having  assured 
them  that  they  shall  not  be  troubled  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, inform  them  that  the  object  of  peopling  Louisiana 
is  to  protect  it  against  any  invasion  whatever  which  may 
be  directed  against  it  from  the  aforesaid  settlements; 
that  this  is  to  their  own  interest,  since,  under  the  Spanish 
domination,  they  cannot  fail  to  be  happy,  on  account  of 
its  mild  and  impartial  administration  of  justice,  and 
because  they  will  have  no  taxes  to  pay;  and  besides, 
that  the  royal  treasury  will  purchase  all  the  tobacco 
which  they  may  raise.  Whilst  presenting  to  them  these 
conaderations,  you  will  carefully  observe  the  manner  in 
which  they  shall  receive  them,  and  the  expression  of  then* 
&ces.  Of  this  you  will  give  me  precise  information,  every 
time  that  you  send  me  the  original  oaths  taken.'' 

The  fonn  of  the  oath  was  as  follows :  "  We,  the  under- 


1 


M 


OBBAT  tiBE  IN  lOBW  ORLEANS. 


208 


signed^  do  swear  on  the  Holy  Evangelists,  entire  fealty, 
yassalagei  and  lealty  to  liis  Catholic  Majesty,- wishing 
voluntarily  to  live  under  his  laws,  promising  not  vj  act, 
either  directly  or  indirectly,  against  his  real  interest^  and 
to  give  immediate  information  to  our  commandants  of 
all  that  may  come  to  our  knowledge,  of  whatever  nature 
it  may  be,  if  prejudicial  to  the  welfare  of  Spain  in  general, 
and  to  that  of  this  province  in  particular,  in  the  defence 
of  which  we  hold  ourselves  ready  to  take  up  arms  on  the 
first  summons  of  our  chiefe,  and  particularly  in  the  de- 
fence of  this  district,  against  whatever  forces  may  come 
from  the  upper  part  of  the  river  Mississippi,  or  from  the 
interior  of  the  continent."  Grandprfe,  however,  had  not 
to  attend  to  these  particulars,  having  been  shortly  after 
superseded  by  lieutenant-colonel  Gayoso  de  Lemos. 

Such  had  been  the  efforts  made  to  increase  the  popu- 
lation of  Louisiana,  when  its  prosperity  was  suddenly 
checked  by  a  terrible  visitation.  On  the  2l8t  of  March, 
1788,  being  Good  Friday,*  at  half  past  one  in  the  after- 
noon, a  fire  broke  out  in  New  Orleans,  in  the  house  of 
the  military  treasurer,  Vicente  Jose  Nunez,  and  reduced 
to  ashes  eight  hundred  and  fifty-six  edifices,  among  wljiieh 
were  the  stores  of  all  the  merchants,  and  the  dwelling  of 
the  principal  inhabitants,  the  Cathedral,  the  Convent  of 
the  Capuchins,  with  the  greater  portion  of  their  books,  the 
Townhall,  the  watch-house,  and  the  arsenal  with  all  its 
contents.  Only  seven  hundred  and  fifty  muskets  were 
saved.  The  public  prison  was  also  burnt  down,  and 
time  was  hardly  left  to  save  the  lives  of  the  unfortunate 
inmates.  Most  of  the  buildings  that  escaped  titie  confla- 
gration were  those  which  fronted  the  river.  The  wind 
was  at  the  time  blowing  from  the  south  with  extreme 
violence,  and  rendered  nugatory  all  attempts  to  stop  the 

•  MiKi!b  d«p«tsh  of  fh«  lat  of  Apri],  178& 


^■4 


iS* 


# 


I* 


Mm,: 


204 


PtTBLIO  EJHJOATIOIT  IN   1788. 


prdgress  of  the  devouring  element.    The  imdginationr 
can  easily  conceive  the  scene  of  desolation ;  almost  the 
yhole  of  the  population  of  the  smouldering  town  was 
ruined,  and  deprived  even  of  shelter  during  t^  whole 
of  the  following  night.    But,  the  next  morning,  Govemop 
Mir6  furnished  those  who  desired  it  with  tents^  and  dis*^ 
tributed  rations  of  rice,  at  the  expense  of  his  Majesty,  to  , 
all  those  who  applied  for  it.    They  were  found  to  amount 
to  about  seven  hundred  persons.    Many  took  refuge  with 
those  whose  dwellings  had  not  been  consumed,  every  sort 
of  assistance  was  tendered  to  the  sufferers,  and  on  this 
melancholy  occasion,  were  displayed  to  advantage  those 
feelings  of  compassion  and  generosity  which  lie  latent  in 
the  human  heart. 

One  of  Mire's  first  cares  was  to  send  to  Philadelphia 
three  vessels  consigned  to  Gardoqui,  to  procure,  in  as 
short  a  time  as  possible,  provisions,  nails,  medicaments, 
and  other  objects  of  indispensable  necessiiy,  which  were 
to  be  resold  at  equitable  prices.  The  Spanish  minister 
was  invited  to  grant  permission  to  such  other  vessels  as 
would  come  to  New  Orleans  with  these  articles,  and 
$24,000  were  remitted  to  him  for  the  purchase  of  three 
thousand  barrels  of  flour.  Mir6  sent  to  the  Court  of 
Spain  a  detailed  account  of  the  losses  occasioned  by  this 
conflagration,  and  put  them  down  at  $2,595,561. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1788,  Governor  Mir6  wrote  to 
his  government  a  despatch  containing  a  curious  account 
of  the  state  of  public  education  in  Louisiana.  ' '  It  seems," 
said  he,  "that  in  17*72,  there  came  from  Spain  Don  An- 
dreas Lopez  de  Armesto  as  director  of  the  school  whidi; 
was  ordered  to  be  established;  at  New  Orleans,  Don 
pTdro  Aragon  as  teacher  of  grammar  (maestro  de  syn- 
taaas),  Don  Manuel  Diaz  de  Lara  as  professor  of  the 
rudiments  of  the  Latin  language,  and  Don  Francisco  de 
la  Celena  as  teacher  of  reading  and  writing  (maestro  de  , 


'# 


PUBLIC  BDUOATIOir  m  1788. 


205 


primaras  lettras).  But  tl^e  Governor,  Dqh  Luis  de  Un- 
Zaga,  found  himself  greatly  embarrassed  as  to  tl^e  esta-^ 
blishment  of  those  schools,  because  he  knew  that  the 
parents  would  not  send  their  children  to  them,  unless 
they  were  driven  to  it  by  the  fear  of  some  penalty 
Considering,  however,  that  it  was  not  proper  to  resort  to 
violence,  he  confined  himself  to  making  the  public 
acquainted  with  the  benefits  they  would  derive  frcni  the 
education  which  the  magnanimous  heart  of  his  Majesty 
thus  put  within  their  reach.  Nevertheless,  no  pupil 
ever  presented  himself  for  the  Latin  ejass  ;  a  few  came 
to  be  taught  reading  and  writing  only ;  these  never  ex- 
ceeded thirty,  and  frequently  dwindled  down  to  six. 
For  this  reason,  the  three  teachers  taught  nothing  be- 
yond the  rudiments." 

Mxrb  goes  on  saying,  that  the  late  conflagration  having 
destroyed  the  school-house,  Don  Andres  Almonaster  had 
offered,  as  a  substitute,  free  of  charge,  and  as  long  as  it 
should  be  wanted,  a  small  edifice  containing  a  rooni 
thirteen  feet  in  length  by  twelve  in  width,  which  would 
suffice  for  the  present,  because,  since  the  occurrence  of 
the  fire,  many  families  had  retired  into  the  country,  so 
that  the  number  of  pupils  had,  by  that  event,  been 
reduced  from  twenty-three  to  twelve.  He  also  proposes 
the  construction  of  a  more  respectiable  school-house,  the 
cost  of  which  he  estimates  at  $6,000. 

"The  introduction  of  the  Spanish  language  in  this 
colony,"  he  observes,  "  is  an  object  of  difficult  attainment, 
which  it  will  require  much  time  to  accomplish,  as  the 
like,  with  regard  to  any  language,  has  always  happened 
in  every  country  passing  under  the  domination  oi  another 
nation.  All  that  has  been  obtained  so  far  h,  that  ajil  the 
proceedings  of  the  courts  ei  justice  in  the  town  be  con- 
ducted in  Sj^anislL    But  we  hav6  not  succeeded^  #0t  well 


■# 


* 


*}■ 


206 


SPANISH  INTBIOUEB  WITH  WILKn^SON. 


in  th,e  other  posts  and  dependencies,  where  French  only 
continues  to  be  spoken.  Even  in  this  town,  the  bool^ 
of  the  merchants,  except  of  those  Spanish  bom,  dre  kept 
in  that  language.  For  this  reason,  as  those  who  have 
no  fortune  to  leave  to  their  sons  aspire  to  give  them  no 
other  career  than  a  mercantile  one,  for  which  they  think 
that  reading  and  writing  is  sufficient,  they  prefer  that 
this  be  taught  them  in  French,  and  thus  there  were, 
before  the  fire,  eight  schools  of  that  description,  which 
were  frequented  by  four  hundred  children  of  both 


w 


sexes. 

On  the  11th  of  April,  Mir6  and  Navarro  informed  the 
cabinet  of  Madrid,  in  a  joint  despatch,  that  they  had 
received  a  comirunication  in  cypher  from  Wilkinson,  in 
which  he  conveyed  to  them  the  agreeable  intelligence 
that,  after  a  painful  and  long  journey,  he  had  safely  re- 
turned from  the  North  to  the  West,  acrc^s  the  moun- 
tains ;  that  all  his  predictions  were  on  th'e  eve  of  being 
accomplished ;  that,  as  he  had  foretold,  Kentucky  had 
separated  itself  from  Virginia,  and  that  the  rest  would 
follow  of  course  as  Spain  desired.  Wilkinson's  letter 
had  been  brought  by  one  of  his  boats,  which  was  soon 
to  be  followed  by  the  remainder  of  them.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  part  of  Wilkinson's  letter,  alluded  to  in  Miro 
and  Navarro's  despatch : 

"I  have  collected  much  European  and  American  news, 
and  have  made  various  interesting  observations  for  our 
political  designs.  It  would  take  a  volume  to  contain  all 
that  I  have  to  communicate  to  you.  But  I  despatch 
this  letter  with  such  haste,  and  its  fate  is  so  uncertain, 
that  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  not  saying  more  until 
the  aiTival  of  my  boats;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  I  pray 
you  to  content  yourselves  with  this  assurance:  dU  my 
preMoHons  a/re  verifying  themaehea^tmd  not  ameasw&is 


^ 


i'^ 


n 


wjUiKuii  bow's  lbttbb  to  tinsh. 


sot 


taken  <m  hoQi  sidea  of  ths  movmtame  which  does  not  <x/iV' 
spire  to  fmor  oure,  I  encountered  great  difficulties  in 
crossing  the  mountains,'^  <&c.,  <&c 
'  **I  must,  however,  let  you  know  that  I  met  in  Eich* 
mond  an  old  companion  in  arms,  a  friend  of  mine,  and  at 
present  a  member  of  Congress,  whd  had  just  arrived  irom 
New  York,  and  who  communicated  to  me  that,  a  few 
days  before  his  departure,  he  had  been  informed  by 
Gardoqui  of  my  gracious  reception  at  New  Orleans  by 
the  Governor,  &c.  &c. 

"In  consequence  of  this,  and  considering  that  6ardoqui 
haa  spies  all  over  the  United  States,  I  thought  that,  in 
order  to  prevent  his  suspicions,  and  divert  his  investiga- 
tions from  the  quarter  to  which  they  might  be  directed, 
it  was  prudent  on  my  part  to  write  him  a  complimentary 
letter,  in  which  I  broached  some  ideas  wKich  may  ^ve 
rise  to  a  correspondence  between  us,  and  the  result  of 
which  I  shall  communicate  to  you. 

"I  beg  you  to  be  easy,  and  to  be  satisfied  that  nothing 
shall  deter  me  from  attending  exclusively  to  the  object 
we  have  on  hand,  and  I  am  convinced  that  the  success 
of  our  plan  will  depend  on  he  disposition  of  the  court. 

"I  take  leave  of  you  with  the  most  ardent  prayers  to 
the  Almighty  for  your  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare, 
and  I  beg  to  subscribe  myself  your  unalterably  devo- 
ted friend,  and  your  most  faithful,  humble  and  obliged 
servant." 

On  the  J. 6th  of  May,  Mir6  wrote  to  urge  upon  the 
government  the  necessity  of  buying  for  the  account  of 
the  king  a  larger  quantity  of  tobacco.  "If  it  be  not 
possible,"  said  he,  "that  Spain  should  eonsunie  tobacco 
to  the  amount  of  a  few*more  millions  of  poimds,  I  fear 
that  the  new  colonists  with  whom  this  provmce  is  peo- 
pling itself  will  consider  as  without  foundal^on  the  hopes 
which  rested  on  the  cultivation  o^  this  {^t,  luid  wh'^^h 


t^%: 


208 


MAJOB  ISAAC  DUNN. 


made  them  believe  that  they  would  find  among  110  a 
prosperity,  the  expected  enjoyment  of  which  had  indaced 
them  to  prefer  the  domination  of  His  M^esty  to  any 
oth^r.  lliis  alone,  I  conceive,  can  make  happy  all  the 
population  which  extends  from  Natchez  inclusively  to 
the  regions  above.  I  am  so  convinced  oi  it,  thait  I  feel 
compelled  to  say,  th«\t  there  is  no  means  more  powerful 
to  accomplish  the  principal  object  we  have  in  view  in 
the  memorial  which  has  been  laid  before  His  Majesty, 
than  the  promise  that  the  government  will  take  as  much 
as  six  millions  of  pounds  of  their  tobacco,  instead  of  the 
two  millions  which  are  now  bought  from  them." 

On  the  16th  of  May,  Wilkinson  wrote  from  Kentucky 
the  following  letter  to  Mir6  and  Navarro:  "My  dear 
and  venerated  Sirs,  I  have  for  the  second  time  the  plea- 
sure of  addressing  you,  and  I  flatter  myself  that  some 
time  ago  you  received  my  first  communication,  which  I 
sent  by  express  in  a  pirogue  with  twoi)arsmen,  and  the 
answer  to  which  I  am  continually  expecting. 

"Major  Isaac  Dunn,  the  bearer  of  this  despatch,  and 
an  old  military  companion  of  mine,  came  to  settle  in 
these  parts  during  my  absence.  The  reliance  which  I 
put  in  his  honor,  his  discretion  and  his  talents,  has 
induced  me,  after  having  sounded  his  dispositions  with 
proper  caution,  to  choose  him  as  a  fit  auxiliary  in  the 
execution  of  our  political  designs,  which  he  has  embraced 
with  cordiality.  He  will  therefore  present  himself  in 
order  to  confer  with  you  on  those  points  which  require 
more  examint  tion,  and  to  concert  with  you  those  mea- 
sures which  you  may  deem  necessary  to  expedite  our 
plan;  and,  through  hkn,  I  shall  be  able  to  receive  the 
new  instructions  which  you  may  deem  expedient  to  send 
me,"  i  have  also  chosen  him  to  bring  me  back  the  pro- 
duct of  the  pr^nt  cargo  of  my  boats.  For  these  rea- 
,  sons,  permit  me  to  reconmiend  him  as  one  worthy  of 


ALEX.  £EATT  BULLIT  "^  HABBT  INNI8. 


209 


your  entire  bonfldence,  and  as  a  safe  and  sagacious  man, 
who  is  profoundly  acquainted  with  the  political  state  of 
the  American  Union,  and  with  the  circumstances  of  this 
section  of  the  country.  I  desire  that  he  be  detained  in 
Louisiana  as  little  as  possible. 

"On  the  first  day  of  January  of  the  next,  year,  1780, 
by  mntual  consent,  this  district  will  cease  to  be  subjected, 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  Virginia.  It  has  been  stipulated, 
it  is  true,  as  a  necessary  condition  of  our  independence, 
that  this  territory  be  acknowledged  an  independent 
State  by  Congress,  and  be  admitted  as' such  into  tihe 
Federal  Union.  But  a  Convention*  has  already  been 
called  to  form  the  constitution  of  this  section  of  the 
country,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  no  acti(m  on  the  part 
of  Congress  will  ever  induce  this  people  to  abandon  the 
plan  which  they  have  adopted,  although  I  have  recent 
intelligence  that  Congress  will,  beyond  a  doubt,  recog- 
nize us  as  a  Sovereign  State. 

"  The  Convention  of  which  I  have  spoken  will  meet 
in  July.  I  will,  in  the  mean  time,  inquire  into  the  ^pre- 
vailing opinions,  and  shall  be  able  to  ascertain  the 
extent  of  the  influence  of  the  members  elected.  When 
this  is  done,  after  having  previously  come  to  an  under- 
standing with  two  or  three  individuals  capable  of  assist- 
ing me,  I  shall  disclose  so  much  of  our  great  scheme  as 
may  appear  opportune,  according  to  circumstances,  and 
I  have  no  doubt  but  that  it  will  meet  with  a  favorable 
reception ;  because,  although  I  have  been  communicative 
with  no  more  than  two  individuals,  I  have  sounded 
many,  and  wherever  it  has  seemed  expedient  to  me  to 
make  knotrn  your  answer  to  my  memorial,  it  has  caused 
the  keenest  satisi^EUition.  Colonel  Alexander  Leatt  Bullit 
and  Harry  Innis,  our  attorney-general,  are  the  only  indi- 
viduals to  whom  I  have  intrusted  our  views^  and,  in  ease 


-f^ 


■r 


— .i.- 


* 


310 


DANIEL  OLABKy  WILKXSBOV'b  AOXNT. 


*;fe4, 


of  any  mishap  befalling  me  before  their  accompliahment, 
yon  may,  in  perfect  secority,  address  yonrselves  to  these 
gentlemen,  whose  political  designs  agree  entirely  with 
yonrs.  Thus,  as  soon  as  the  new  government  shall  be 
organized  and  adopted  by  the  people,  they  will  proceed 
to  elect  a  governor,  the  members  of  the  legislative  body 
and  other  officers,  and  I  doubt  not  but  that  they  will 
name  a  political  agent  with  power  to  treat  of  the  aSsar 
in  which  we  are  engaged,  and  I  think  that  all  this  will 
be  done  by  the  month  of  March  next.  In  the  mean- 
time, I  hope  to  receive  yovi  orders,  which  I  will  do  my 
utmost  to  execute. 

'*  1  do  not  anticipate  any  obstacle  from  Congress, 
because,  under  the  present  federal  compact,  that  body 
can  neither  dispose  of  men  nor  money,  and  the  new 
government,  should  it  establish  itself,  will  have  to 
encounter  diffi-Milties  which  will  keep  it  \7eak  for  three 
or  four  years,  before  the  eiqpirationpf  which  I  have  good 
grounds  to  hope  that  we  shall  have  completed  our 
negotiations,  and  shall  have  become  too  strong  to  be 
subjected  by  any  force  which  may  be  sent  against  us. 
The  only  fears  I  have,  proceed  from  the  policy  which 
may  prevail  in  your  Court.  I  am  afraid  of  a  change  in 
the  present  ministry,  and  in  the  administration  of  Lou- 
isiana, of  the  possibility  of  which  event  you  are  better 
judges  than  I  can  be,  and  I  beg  you  to  be  explicit  with 
me  on  the  subject. 

"In  my  last,  I  mentioned  a  letter  which  I  had  ad- 
dressed to  Gardoqui.  I  took  the  precaution  to  put  it 
open  into  the  hands  of  the  Baron  De  Zillier,*  in  Phila- 
delphia, my  relation  and  trusty  friend,  who  has  since 
written  to  me  that,  after  mature  reflection,  he  had  thought 
it  best  not  to  deliver  it 


Or] 
waj 
for 
whi< 

COlA] 

whic 

of  si 

whei 

them 

dent* 

motiv 

chian 

towar< 

tiation 

flatter 

this  m« 

Clark 

tion. 

"Bei 

the  ii 

I  may 

your  hi 

and  wi 

iumblei 

OntJ 

^ilkin^j 

"Th( 

just  ai 

Pliaaoe  vit 
fnpei-vftionl 


m' 


WtLKDrSON  8  FlATBOATB. 


IF 


^I  HaTe  applied*  to  Mr.  Clark,  my  agent  in  New 
OrleaoB,  with  regard  to  sending  me  mercliuidise  by  the 
way  of  the  MiasiflsippL  This  is  of  the  ntmoet  importance 
for  the  acoomplishm^nt  of  onr  wishes,  because  the  only  tie 
which  can  preserve  the  connection  of  this  section  of  the 
coiAitry  with  the  Atlantic  States  is  the  necessity  nnder 
which  we  are,  to  rely  on  them  altogether  for  the  snpply 
of  such  articles  as  are  not  manufactured  am^ng  us;  and 
when  this  people  shall  find  out  that  they  can  procure 
them*  more  conveniently  through  this  river,  the  depen- 
dent' state  in  which  they  are  wiU  cease,  and  with  it  all 
motives  of  connection  with  the  other  side  of  the  Apala* 
chian  mountains.  Our  hopes  will  then  be  turned 
towards  you,  and  all  obstacles  in  the  way  of  our  nego- 
tiations will  have  been  removed ;  for  which  reasons,  I 
flatter  myself  that  you  will  find  it  expedient  to  favor 
this  measure,  and  will  have  the  kindness  to  grant  to  Mr. 
Clark  the  necessary  protection  to  carry  it  into  execu- 
tion. 

"  Referring  you  to  the  prefeeding  observations,  and  to 
the  information  which  Major  Dunn  will  give  as  to  what 
I  may  have  omitted,  I  beg  you  to  accept  my  wishes  for 
your  happiness,  and  to  believe  me  to  be,  with  the  highest 
and  warmest  personal  respect  and  esteem,  your  obedient, 
humble  and  ready  servant." 

On  the  16th  of  June,  Mir6  sent  to  Spain  a  copy  of 
Wilkinson's  letter  with  the  following  observations: 

^'The  fiatboats  of  Brigadier-General  Wilkinson  have 
just  arrived  with  a  cargo  which  cost  seven  thousand 

*  Most  «t-  fheM  de«p«tch«i^  if  not  all,  vere  originally,  in  oypher ;  they  are  to 
be  found  at  length  and  in  Spwiish  in  thearohivea  of  Spain.  Copies  m«d«  incom- 
plianoe  with  a  resolution  of  the  Legidatnre  of  the  State  of  L(raiBiana»  vadtr  &e 
Bupervision  of  H.  deQaymtgei^^  gentleman  diltingidah«dtor  hie  leatlil^  and 
literaty  wotka,  and  alio  nnder  the  dirsetidn  of  hi«  ^KMllMiey  Bomnliia  Saunders 
who  was  then  tbe^U,  S.  Mintatpr  Bini{>o^tlai7  at  Madrid,  art  depodted  in  the 
•ffice  of  the  Secretary  of  State  at  Baton  Bouge^ 


■M 


'■«•• 


# 


*1" 


212 


SPAKISH  :.OAN  TO  WTUOmOV, 


dollars  in  Kentucky,  under  the  cHre  of  Mf^or  Dunn,  wbo 
has  delivered  me  the  letter  of  which  I  forward  a  transla- 
tion. It  will  make  you  acquainted  with  the  state  in 
which  is  the  principal  affiur  mentioned  in  my  coniiden- 
tial  despatch  No.  13.  This  Major  confirms  ell  of  Wil- 
kinson's assertions,  and  gives'  it  out  as  certain,  that,  next 
year,  after  the  meeting  of  the  first  assemblies  in  which 
Kentucky  will  act  as  an  independent  State,  she  will 
separate  entii'ely  from  the  Federal  Union ;  he  further 
declares  that  he  has  come  to  this  conclusion  from  having 
heard  it  expressed  in  various  conversations  among  the 
most  distinguiphed  citizens  of  that  State :  that  the  direction 
of  the  cwrrent  of  the  rivers  which  run  in  froni  of  their 
ckuelUngs  points  cleanly  to  the  power  to  which  they  ought 
to  aUy  themselves^  but  he  declares  that  he  is  ignorant  of 
the  terms  on  which  this  alliance  will  be  proposed.  The 
said  Brigadier-general,  in  a  private  letter  addressed  to 
me,  adds  that  he  flatters  himself  with  the  prospect  of 
his  being  the  delegate  of  his  State  to  present  to  me  the 
propositions  offered  by  his  countrymen,  and  that  he  hopes 
to  embrace  mo  in  Apiil  next. 

"  From  the  beginning,  he  had  informed  me  that  he 
was  not  possessed  of  any  pecuniary  means.  Here  an 
individual,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Intend  ant 
Navarro,  hac^.  loaned  him  three  thousand  dollars.  He 
now  begs  me  n*  t  to  seize  his  cargo,  as  he  has  pledged 
the  product  of  its  sale  to  refund  that  sum,  and  to  pay 
his  crew  and  the  amount  due  on  the  tobacco  which  he 
had  bought  on  credit,  and  as  the  balance  13  to  enable 
him  to  support  himself  without  embarra8(»m»nt,  which 
will  contribute  to  preserve  and  increase  his  influience  in 
his  State. 

'  '^J^liihough'  his  candor,  and  the  information  which  I 

have  fidught  from  many  who  have  known  him  well,  seem 

"M  assure  us  that  he  is  working  in  good  earnest,  yet  I  am 


■A. 


m 


■M 


1>- .  :  ■'  4. 


#3 


M*0IUJVBAT^8  LirrrER  TO  MDib. 


213 


aware  that  it  may  be  possible  tbat  his  intention  is  to 
enrich  himself  at  onr  expense,  by  inflating  ns  with  hopeH 
and  promises  which  he  knows  to  be  vain.  Neverthele^, 
I  have  determined  to  humor  him  on  this  occasion,  <&c. 
&c.  ♦  ♦  ♦  *  #  « 

»  •  •  «  «  •  • 

^^Ab  you  may  have  seen,  Wilkinson  had  promised  a 
volume  of  information  when  his  flatboats  should  come 
down.    He  has  kept  his  word,  and  transmitted  to  mn 
various  newspapers  cpntaining  articles  on  the  Mississif    .^^ 
the  letters  of  the  American,  Sullivan,  which  Don  Dio^d" 
Gardoqui  must  have  communicated  to  you,  and  a  pap*" 
of  his  own,  full  of  reflections  on  the  new  federal  gove 
ment,  the  establishments  on  the  Ohio,  and  the  navigation 
of  the  Mississippi,  of  which  the  only  passage  worthy  of 
occupying  your  Excellency's  attention  m  the  last  one,  in 
which  he  says  to  me,  that  *  If  Sullivan  presents  himself 
on  this  side  of  the  Apalachiau  mountains,  I  may  rest 
assured  that  his  journey  will  soon  be  at  an  end,  and  that 
'^ere  will  be  obstacles  in  hi%  way,  to  prevent  him  from 
oecoming  troublesome  to  this  province,  as  he  boasts  of.' " 

On  the  same  day,  Mir6  forwarded  to  his  government 
the  copy  of  a  letter  addressed,  on  the  25th  of  April,  by 
McGillivray,  the  chief  of  the  Talapouches  and  the  pen- 
sioned ally  of  the  Spaniard? ,  to  the  Governor  of  Pensa* 
cola:  "I  must  inform  you,"  said  the  Indian  chief,  "that 
since  the  departure  of  Garion  with  my  last  letters,  two 
delegates  from  the  district  of  Cumberland  have  arrived 
with  proposals  of  peace  to  this  motion.  They  represented 
to  me  that  they  were  reduced  to  eictremities  by  the 
incursions  of  our  warriors,  and  that,  to  obtain  peace  and 
oui*  friendship,  they  were  disposed  to  submit  to  whatever 
conditions  we  might  choose  to  impose;  and,  prestmnjctg 
that  it  would  have  a  powerful  inflnence  with  me  and 
w^ould  secure  them  my  fiivor,  th<^  addled  thfil;  they||t 


;*■ 


M 


li 


.    VvV: 


li 


■',    -^       •*'  ♦'y.r'    '.  .  ''..V':' 


m 


i 


214 


#■;■'■:    ■ 


INTRIGUES  IN   CUMBERLAND  DISTRICT. 


would  throw  themselves  into  the  arms  of  his  Majesty  as 
subjects,  and  that  Cumberland  and  Kentucky  are  deter- 
mined to  free  themselves  from  their  depeiidence  on 
Congress,  because  that  body  cannot  protect  eitHer  their 
persons  or  their  property,  or  favop^^  their  commerce,  and 
they  therefore  believe  that  they  owe  no  obedience  to  a 
power  which  is  incapable  of  benefiting  them. 

"These  deputies  desired  to  know  my  sentiments  on 
the  subject  of  their  propositions;  but  as  it  embraces^ 
important  political  questions,  I  thought  proper  not  to 
divulge  my  views.  My  answer  was,  that,  in  the  first 
great  council  held  by  this  nation,  these  matters  would 
be  considered,  and  that,  in  the  mean  time,  all  hostilities 
would  cease,  and  that  peace  would  be  finally  established, 
when  its  conditions  should  be  agreed  upon."  McGilli- 
vray's  correspondence,  if  proceeding  from  his  own  pen, 
denotes  in  that  half-breed  a  man  of  considerable  educa- 
tion and  of  singular  abilities,  not  supposed  generally  to 
exist  in  those  of  his.race  and  position. 

Commenting  on  this  letter  in  a  despatch  of  the  15tli 
of  June,  Miro  said:  "I  consider  as  extremely  intei-estiog 
the  intelligence  conveyed  to  McGillivray  by  the  deputies, 
on  the  fermentation  existing  in  Kentucky  with  regard 
to  a  separation  from  the  Union,  &c.  *  * 

♦  *  m  «  )|i  * 

"Concerning  the  propositions  made  to  McGillivray  by 
the  inhabitants  of  Cumberland  to  become  the  vassals  of 
his  Majesty,  I  have  abstained  from  returning  any  pre- 
cise answer,"  <fec.,  ifec.     ♦  *  *  *^ 
.  4(                  *                 «               *                ♦  « 

"  As  it  may  happen,  however,  that  deputies  may  soon 
come  here  from  that  part  of  the  country,  I  beg  your 
.Excellency  to  prescribe  to  me  the  course  which  I  am  to 
pursue  as  the  most  agreeable  to  his  Majesty." 

Whilst  all  these  intrigues  were  o|i  foot,  the  population 


GENSlTd  OF  LOtnSIANA  IN  1*788.  215 

of  Lotu$iana  was  steadily  increasing,  and  Oolonel  Peter 
Brian  Browin,*  among  others,  with  a  number  of  families, 
provide  with  pa^ports  from  Gardoqni,  had  arrived  to 
settle  in  the  Strict  of  Natchez.  A  census  was  taken 
this  year,  4788,  and  presented  the  following  results : 

City  of  New  Orleans^      .       .       .       •       •       •       •  8^888 

From  the  Balize  to  the  city,    .       .       .       .       ...  9,878 

At  tbe  Terre  aiK  Boeofs, 661 

On  the  Bayous  Bi  John  and  Gentilly,  .       .       .       .  *11% 

Barataria, 40 

Tohoupitoulas, 7,680 

PariehofSt  Qbarle%      ...        .       .        .       .       .  2,881 

Si.  Johii  the  Baptist,       .       .       .       .        .       .       .  1,868 

Si  James,       .        .        .       .        .       .       .       .       .  1,659 

'     Lafourche,      ., •!     •       •  1,164 

do       int^r, 1,600 

Ibervill^         '. . «%    .  944 

Pointe  Couple,       .        .        .        .       .        .       .        .  2,004 

,  OpelousMS^     .        .        .        .        ...        .        .  1,986 

Atakapaa, 2,641 

New  Iberia, .  190 

Ouachita, 282 

Bapidea^ 147 

Avoyelles,       .        .       .       .       .       .    «■  .       .       .  209 

Natcl^itoches,          .       .       .       .        .        .       .       .  1,021 

Arkansas,       .        .        .       .  ^    .       .        .       .        .  119 

St.  Cknevieve^ •  896 

St  Louis,        . 1,197  • 

Handiae^        .       ,       .       ...       .       .       .  284 

Galreston, 268 

Baton  Itouge^         .       . 682 

Feliciana,       .       ' 780 

Natchei^ 2,679 

Mobile^           .........  1,468 

Total,  42,846 

There  were  about  as  many  whites  as  there  were  slaves, 
and  thel&^e  colored  persons  numbered  about  1,T00.  In 
lt85,  the  census  had  given  a  total  of  31,433  s6uls  ;  thus 
the  increase  had.  been  considerable,  and  would  appear 
still  nfore  so,  if  it  be  true,  as  it  was  then  asserted,  that 

*  The  namt  ia  thus  qMlt  in  the  Spanish  mantueript 


ifAVi.S'lW^Ji- 


1^^ 


i 


216 


i^AVARBO's  MmHORIAI^^, 


■ft.Mi.  •■  )'i 


el  ■  '  I  Vjj  ! 


this  last  census  was  short  of  the  real  number,  and  that 
the  population  at  the  time  ought  to  have  been  computed 
at  least  at  45,000  souls. 

This  year,  Mir6,  who,  it  will  be  recollected,  had  been 
appointed,  in  1785,  Judge  of  Residence  to  inquire  into 
the  official  acts  of  Unzaga,  received  a  commission  to  the 
same  effect  with  regard  to  Gaivez,  under  whom  he  had 
served,  who  had  led  him  to  victory,  whom  he  loved  as 
his  chief  and  companion  in  arms, — Gaivez,  who  now  was 
the  powerful  Viceroy  of  the  kingdom  of  Mexico,  and 
whose  uncle*  had  been  so  recentfy  thie  omnipotent 
minister  of  the  King  of  Spain  I  It  seems  that  the 
minister  who  signed  this  commission  and  sent  it  to  Miro, 
can  hardly  be  supposed  to  have  refrained  from  a  smile 
at  the  mockery  he  was  perpetrating. 

In  the  spring  of  1788,  Martin  Navarro,  the  gifted  In- 
tendant  of  Louisiana,  who  had  won  the  esteem,  respect, 
and  attachment  of  all  classes,  during  his  long  residence 
in  the  colony,  left  it  for  Spain,  and  the  two  offices  of 
Intendant  and  Governor  were  united  in  the  peraon  of 
Mird.  (^/onsidering  the  impoMance  of  the  great  scheme 
of  which  Miro  was  one  of  the  main  springs,  it  was  thought 
necessary  to  facilitate  his  operations  by  exposing  him  to 
no  interference  with  his  authority  on  the  part  of  a  col- 
league in  power.  Besides,  to  appoint  a  new  Intendant 
would  have  been  to  initiate  another  person,  who  might 
lack  prudence  and  discretion,  into  secrets  which  it  ytas 
good  policy  to  keep  within  the  breasts  of  as  few  indi- 
viduals as  possible,  and  this  might  have  been  objected 
to  by  Wil^nson  and  his  associates,  as  endangering  their 
safety.  Navarro's  last  official  despatch  was  a  memorial 
which  was  to  be  sulnnitted  to  the  king,  and  in  which,  at 
the  request  of  the  Minister  of  the  Department  of  the 

"  Joaa  de  Gaivez,  MarquU  de  laSonora,  di«d  ia,  lliii 


'■*M 


NA.yABBO'8  MEMOBIAL. 


317 


Indies,  he  expressed  his  views  in  relation  to  Louisiana. 
In  this  document,  the  lutendant  depicted  in  yivid  colors 
the  dangers  which  Spain  had  to  apprehend  for  her  Ameri- 
can colonies,  from  the  thirteen  provinces  jtjiat  had  lately 
become  independent  and  had  assumed  their  rank  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  under  the  appellation  of  the 
United  States  of  America.  He  dwelt  with  peculiar  em- 
phasis on  the  ambition  and  the  thirst  of  conquest  which 
his  keen  eye  could  already  detect  in  the  breast  of  the 
new-born  giant,  who,  as  he  predicted  with  remarkable  ^^ 
accuracy,  would  ndt  rest  satisfied  until  he  extended  his 
domains  across  the  continent,  and  bathed  his  vigorous 
young  limbs  in  the  placid  waves  of  the  Pacific.  When 
wias  there  a  truer  prophet  ?  And  how  was  this  dread 
event,  so  clearly  foreseen,  to  be  prevented  ? — ^By  severe 
ing  the  Union — ^by  dividing  from  the  Atlantic  States 
the  boundless  West,  where  so  much  power  was  already* 
slumbering  in  the  lap  of  the  wilderness.  To  effect  this, 
was  not,  in  his  opinion,  very  difficult,  if  the  propitious 
circumstances,  then  existing,  were  turned  to  advantage 
without  loss  of  time,  and  by  the  use  of  proper  means. 
"Grant,"  said  he,  "every  sort  of  commercial  privileges  to 
the  masses  in  the  western  region,  and  shower  pensions 
and  honors  on  their  leaders."  This  memorial  produced 
a  deep  impression  at  Madrid,  and  confirmed  the  governr 
ment  of  Spain  in  the  policy  which  it  had  begun  tt* 
pursue. 

B'Arg^  had,  in  consequence,  received  instructious 
from  Gardoqtii  and  from  the  Count  of  Florida  Blanoa> 
one  of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  of  Madrid,  to  do  all 
that  was  iahis  power  to  procure  t^e  dismemberment  of 
the  American  Union. '  He  had.  come  to  solicit  assist' 
ance  and  cooperation  fi^m  Mir6 ;  but,  to  his  great  as- 
tonishment, he  was  detained  in  New  Orleans  by  the 
Governor,  uiider  vjtfbtiB  pretext  ai^d'  not  permitted  to 


i^^ 


218 


BPASISA  IKTBIOUES  IN  THE  WEST.' 


ascend  the  Mississippi,  on  his  way  to  the  West.  In  a 
despatch  of  the  7th  of  August,  addressed  to  the  Oount 
of  Florida  Blanca,  Miro  explained  his  reasons  for  so 
doing.  "Being  obliged,"  said  he,  "to  conceal  from 
D'Arges  the  true  cause  of  Wilkinson's  visit  to  New  Or- 
leans, I  told  him  only,  that  the  General  had  presented 
to  the  Court  a  memorial  approved  by  me,  in  favor  of  the 
district  of  Kentucky,  with  a  view  to  opening  a  trade 
between  this  colony  and  that  province.  He  cannot  con- 
ceive why  I  am  losing,  as  he  thinks,  so  much  time,  and 
why  I  do  not  hasten  to  avail  myself  of  the  permission 
given  by  your  Excellency  to  carry  on  an  enterprise,  to 
which  he  would  join  his  contribution  of  labor,  at  the 
propitious  moment  when  the  inhabitants  of  Kentucky 
are  framing  the  Constitution  of  that  State.  His  inten- 
tions are  praiseworthy,  if  sincere,  as  I  believe  them  to 
be.  But  my  mind,  although  not  very  acute,  has  not 
been  without  detecting  that  the  jealous  ambition  of  a 
man  easily  produces  feelings  of  enmity  in  his  brei\st,  and 
that,  when  two  individuals  work  together  in  the  same 
undertaking,  the  first  who  discovers  that  his  companion 
is  to  reap  all  the  merit  of  the  success,  if  obtained,  is  apt, 
mstead  of  contributing  to  it,  to  use  for  its  defeat  the 
very  knowledge  and  ei  erience  which  he  has  acq^uiied 
in  the  matter. 

"My  not  permitting  D'Arges  to  ascend  the  river  will 
not  be  productive  of  any  injury  to  the  royal  service,  piid 
his  being  allowed  to  be  in  competition  with  Wilkinson, 
when  they  cannot  be  made  acquainted  with  their 
reciprocal  mission,  would  produce  results  of  a  serious 
nature,  and,  thus,  I  hope  to  obtain  the  approbation  of 
your  Excellency  for  detaining  him  here,  until  I  receive 
the  instructions  af  his  Majesty  on  the  main  question.'' 

On  the  28th  of  August,  Mir6  Wx  ote  to  his  Government : 
"In  compliatice  with  the  orders ^ven  by  ^e  AiBerican 


(^AltlbB:  ntTRIOUES  m  THi;  WEST. 


219 


iig^Miler-Ci^neral,  James  Wilkinson,  to  his  agent  here, 
this  individual  has  invested  the  product  of  the  sale  of 
tobacob,  with  &a  additional  sum  of  money,  in  merchandise, 
with  which  he  has  loaded  a  boat.  This  cargo,  which 
has  required  an  outlay  of  $18,246  and  six  reals,  is  com- 
posed of  eatables  and  dry  goods  destined  for  the  Ken- 
tucky market.  < 

^'The  establishment  of  this  trade  is  of  the  utmost 
consequence  for  the  succes.9  of  our  great  project,  which  I 
disclosed  and  explained  in  the  confidential  despatch  No. 
13,  to  which  is  annexed  the  memorial  of  the  said  Bri- 
gadier, because  it  is  exceedingly  important  that  the 
Western  people  should  see,  before  declaring  themselves 
for  a  change  of  domination,  that  ths  true  channel  through 
which  they  have  to  be  supplied  with  the  objects  of  their 
wants,  in  exchange  for  their  own  productions,  id  the 
Miasissippi." 

Miro  explains  at  length  the  facilities  of  that  coinmerce, 
and  demonstrates  how  much  more  advantageous  it  would 
be  for  the  Western  people  than  that  which  they  have 
been  forced  to  carry  on,  across  the  mountains,  with  the 
Atlantic  States. 

"The  great  obstacle,''  continues  he,  "which  Wilkin- 
son's agent,  who  is  also  interested  in  this  commercial 
adventure,  has  to  encounter,  is  the  ditficulty  to  a^oend 
as  far  up  as  the  falls  of  the  Ohio  without  beirg  ati.eicked 
by  the  Indians,  but  I  have  encouraged  him  to  attempt 
it  at  all  hazards,  and  I  have  proposed  to  him  to  send 
two  expresses  to  Wilkinson,  one  througl  the  Talapouche 
territory,  and  the  other  through  the  Chickasaw  nation, 
to  notify  the  General  of  the  coming  up  of  his  boat,  in 
order  that  he  may  send  an  armed  one  to  the  mouth  of 
theOUo,  wMoh,  Wthe  treaty  rowers  who  nma  to 
boat,  will,  I  hope,  be  sufficient  protection  to  ^ecum^its 
safety.^   I  have  written  to  Wilkinson  n6t  to  sell  the 


-f'; 


Sifci^ 


^•| 


:ti^ 


.*. 


■-:^,v 


^ftu 


m 


SI' 


220 


OOL.  MOBOAN'S   AtEMOBIAI.. 


ii: 


Ml 


goods  £lt  a  higher  price  than  what  they  cost  here,  be-, 
cause  it  is  highly  important  that  this  first  essay  should 
inspire  the  inhabitants  of  Kentucky  with  the  most  flat- 
tering hopes. 

"I  have  good  reasons  to  expect  that  the  arrival  of 
this  boat  will  produce  the  most  agreeable  sendation 
among  these  people,  and  will  make,  them  feel  more 
keenly  that  their  felicity  depends  on  the  concession  of 
such  commercial  facilities  by  his  Majesty,  and  for  the 
acquisition  of  which  I  conceive  that  there  are  few  sacri 
fices  which  they  would  not  make ;  and  therefore  I  hope 
with  the  utmost  confidence,  that  his  Majesty  will  approve 
aU  that  I  have  done,  on  this  and  other  occasions— which 
course  has  secured  to  me  the  most  profound  tranquillity 
in  this  province,  whilst  I  am  waiting  for  instructions  in 
so  great  and  important  an  affair." 

On  the  Tth  of  September,  Colonel  Morgan'  addressed 
from  Kew  Jersey  to  Gardoqui,  a  very  cuaious  memorial, 
in  which  he  proposes  to  establish  on  certain  conditions 
an  immense  colony  near  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio.  Those 
conditions  he  stipulates  at  length,  and  declares  that,  if 
they  are  strictly  adhered  to,  the  population  which  he 
will  draw  to  that  settlement  will,  in  ten  years,  amount 
to  at  lerst  one  hundred  thousand  souls.  He  ex*)atiatea 
on  the  advantages  which  would  result  therefrom  to 
Spain,  i  ,nd,  in  return  for  what  he  promises  to  do,  he 
desires  that  the  rank  of  colonel  enjoyed  by  him  in  the 
army  oi*  the  United  States,  against  whose  government 
he  expnsses  himself  with  some  bitterness  of  feeling,  and 
which  he  accuses  of  haying  acted  with  bad  faith  towards 
him,  be  secured  to  him;  that  he  be  granted  a  concession 
of  twenty  miles  square,  with  a  pension  for  the  rest  of  his 
life,  and  that  other  boons  and  advantages  be  gu^a^tie4 
to  himself  and^^  his  family. 

Oil  the  4th  of  October,  Gardoqui  answered  C^onel 


f 


OABDOQtJI^S  UTTTEB  TO  KAJOB  JHUmr. 


221 


George  Morgan  from  New  York,  expressing  the  warmest 
oppro]batioT^  of  that  gentleman^s  plan  of  colonizalfbn,  and 
informing  him  that  he  had  forwarded  it  t6  be  submitted 
to  the^ng,  and  that  he  doubted  not  but  that  all  that 
was  j,pplied  for  would  be  granted.  "As  you  seem  anx- 
ious," said  h6,  "  noj  to  loae  any  time,  I  forthwith  transmit 
a  passport,  and  letters  for  the  Spanish  authorities,  so  that 
you  may  go  at  once,  and  examine  the  territory  in  Tf  hioh 
you  contemplate  making  your  settlement.  On  your 
arrival  at  New  Orleans,  you  will  act  in  concert  with 
the  Governor,  who  will  give  you  aU  the  facilities  you 
desire,  and,  in  your  progress  through  the  West,  on  your 
way  to  the  capital  of  Louisiana,  you  will  assure  the 
inhabitants  of  his  Majesty's  desires  to  grant  them  all 
the  favojisB  and  privileges  whidi  may  secure  their  pros- 
perity." 

Gardoqui,  on  the  7th  of  the  same  month,  wrote  afeo 
to  Major  Dunn,  to  entreat  him  to  make  his  fellow- 
citizens  acquainted  with  the  sincere  wish  which  he, 
Gardoqui,  entertained,  to  procure^  as  he  expressed  it,  ihs 
ImppiThesa  of  that  Western  worldy  provided  they  shmld 
understand  tlieir  own  interests^  and  second  Ids  qperoMons 
without  loss  (ff  time.*  ']i5 

On  the  3d  of  November,  Mirb  thus  expressed  himself 
in  a  despatch  to  the  Minister  Don  Antonio  Vald^s,  in 
relation  to  the  grand  scheme  of  dismembering  the  Union : 
"This  affair  proceeds  more  rapidly  than  I  had ^re^umed, 
and  some  considerable  impetus  is  given  to  it  by  t|ye^ 
answ^  of  Congress  to  the  application  ol  Kentucky  to  be 
admitted  into  the  Union  as  an  independent  State.  That 
answer  is,  that  the  new  federal  govenunent  wimk  is 
80(5^  Jo  ijo  into  operati  thdrwii^es  into 

*  Pntenror  U  diohik  de  los  luitHlbftattti.  d«  ese  ma^^  o9ti&villm%  litmpn 
V>«  <^iw«b  mi'itep^i^teti^  y  M^         mis  moyitnitt^lM,  riat  peidida  de 


'^i 


.% 


% . 


i'-% 


•j* 


%:. 


f  ! 


K.« 


22S 


OLIVBB  POtLOOK  AND    JOH*    BUOWM. 


coD.iideration,  and  will  act  thereon.  Thia  information 
.  Bon  rflsgo  Gardoqui  must  have  commnnicated,  bnt  he 
«  did  not  what  follows. 

"  Oliver  Pollock,  a  citizen  of  Philadelphia,  who  arrived 
here  three  days  ago,  in  a  vessel  from  Martinique^  has 
declared  to  me  that  Brown,  a  member  of  Congress,  who 
is  a  man  of  property  in  Kentuc!&y,  told  him  in  connuence 
that,  in  the  debates  of  that  body  on  the  question  of  the 
independence  of  that  Territory,  he  saw  clearly  that  the 
intention  of  his  colleagues  was,  that  Ken'acky  shcul I 
remain  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Congress,  like  the  county 
of  Illinois,  and  that  a  Governor  should  be  appointed  by 
them  for  that  provmce  as  for  the  other ;  but  that,  as  this 
was  opposed  to  the  welfare  of  the  inhabitants  of  Ken- 
tucky, he  was  determined  to  return  home  (which  he  did 
before  Pollock's  departure  from  Philadelphia),  and,  on 
his  arrival,  to  call  for  a  general  assembly  of  his  fellow 
citizens,  in  order  to  proceed  immediately  to  declare 
themselves  independent,  and  to  propose  to  Spain  the 
opening  of  a  commercial  intercourse  with  reciprocal 
advantages;  and  that,  to  accomplish  this  object,  he 
would  send  to  Pollock  i.he  necessary  documents,  to  be 
Md  before  me  and  to  be  forwarded  to  your  Excellency. 
He  requested  Pollock  to  prepare  me  for  it  in  anticipar 
tion,. 

"Your  Excellency  will  therefore  rcsc  assured  that 
Brown^  oh  his  arrival  in  Kentucky,  finding  Wilkinson 
and  his  associates  disposed  to  surrender  themselves  up 
to  Spain,  or  at  least  to  put  themselves  under  her  prptec- 
tion,  will  easily  join  l^em,  and  it  is  probable,  as  Wilkin- 
son'has  already  foretold  it,  that,  next  spring,  J  shall 
have  to  receivje  here  a  deputation  appointed  in  due 
form.  '  ■  ■■:/'';'^..  ,rp4r 

"I  acted  towards  Pollock  with  a  great  deal  of  ca:itti6n, 
and  answered  him  as  one  to  whom  had  been  coniiiaum 


■■'i* 


"W 


UniNDATIONS  IN  LOUISIANA. 


223 


cat^  **  ^ome  new  and  nnlooked  for  informaf  ion,  giving  him 
to  understand,  that  I  conld  not  pledge  to  him  my  sup- 
port before  seeing  the  documents  which  he  expected,'^ 
<Scc.,  &0. 

These  intrigues,  of  which  Louisiana  was  the  focus, 
were  the  most  interestmg  events  which  marked  her 
history  in  the  year  1788.'  In  the  course  of  the  same 
year,  the  fortitude  of  the  colonists,  whose  number  Spain 
wa^  so  anxious  to  increase,  had  been  sorely  tried  by 
mundations  which  had  devastated  the  post  of  St.  Gene- 
vieve, at  Illinois,  and  the  districts  of  Manchac,  Baton 
Kotige,  and  other  settlements.  The  principal  sufferers 
were  the  Acadians,  to  whose  relief  the  Colonial  govern- 
ment found  itself  obliged  to  come,  to  the  amount  of 
$12,000.*  The  Bonnet  Garre  I^vee,  which  is  now  a 
cause  of  so  mvLch  expense  and  danger,  possessed  the  same 
characteristics  in  1788.  The  inhabitants  of  the  German 
coast  petitioned  Mirci  to  come  to  their  assistance,  and 
one  Antoine  Peytaviu  proposed  to  borrow  from  the  royal 
Treasury,  on  giving  good  security,  the  sum  of  $16,000 
payable  in  six  years,  and  on  binding  himself  to  stop  the 
crevasse  at  that  spot,  and  to  reconstruct  a  strong,embank- 
ment,  provided  the  full  property  of  the  lands,  the  front 
of  which  he  would  have  to  protect,  lis  made  over  to 
him.  ,, 

On  the  12th  of  February,  1789,  Wilkmson  wrote  from 
Lexington,  Kentucky,  to  Governor  Mir6  :  "  Immediately^^ 
after  havmg  sent  you  my  despatch  by  Major  Dunn,  I 
devol^d  aU  my  faculties  to  our  political  designs,  and  I 
have  never  since  turned  aside  from  the  pursuit  of  thi^ 
important  object  we  have  in  view.  If  sul^equent  eVents 
have  not  come  up  to  our  expectations,  s^I  I  conceive 
that  they  are  such  as  to  ipspire  us  with  flattering  hopes 


#' 


*{, 


•  mtt>'»  d«ii»itoh,  Angnst  28tli,  I7ite. 


•J: 


# 


m. 


v.,4yi' 


■y-' 


t 


^' 


m 


'#' 


HI  i' 

i 

(i 


*-. 


224 


"**'' 

■■■■^p^' 


WILKINSON'S   INTRIOUBB. 


of  success  in  due  time,  and,  although  in  the  conjectural 
opinions  which  I  presented  to  you  and  Navarro,  I  may, 
in  some  particulars,  have  been  deceived,  you  will  yet  see 
that,  in  the  main,  I  expressed  myself  with  a  prophetic 
spirit,  and  that  important  events  have  occurred,  to 
confirm  the  accuracy  of  my  sentiments. 

"When  Major  Dunn  left  Kentucky,  I  had  opened  my- 
self only  tc  '.he  Attorney  General  Innis,  and  to  Colonel 
Bullitt,  who  favor  our  designs,  and  indirectly  I  had 
sounded  others,  whom  I  also  found  well  disposed  to  adopt 
my  ideas.  But,  having  made  a  more  strict  examination, 
I  discovered  that  the  proposed  new  government  of  the 
United  States  had  inspired  some  with  apprehensions,  and 
others  with  hopes — so  much  so  that  I  saw  that  this  cir- 
cumstance would  be  a  cause  of  some  opposition  and  de- 
lay. I  also  perceived  that  all  idea  that  Kentucky  would 
subject  itself  to  Spain  must  be  abandoned  for  the  pre- 
sent, and  that  the  only  feasible  plan  to  the  execution  of 
which  I  had  to  direct  my  attention  was  that  of  a  sepa- 
ration from  the  United  States,  and  an  alliance  v/ith 
Spain,  on  conditions  which  could  not  yet  be  defined  with 
precision.  I  considered  that,  whatever  be  the  time  when 
the  separation  should  be  brought  about,  this  district 
being  then  no  longer  under  the  protection  of  the  United 
States,  Spain  might  dictate  her  own  terms ;  for  which 
reason,  I  embraced  without  delay  this  last  alternative. 

"  The  question  of  separation  from  the  United  States, 
although  discussed  with  vehemence  among  the  most  dis- 
tinguished inhabitants  of  this  section  of  the  country,  had 
never  been  mentioned,  in  a  formal  manner,  td  the  peo- 
ple at  large,  but  now  was  the  time  for  making  tibis 
important  and  interesting  experiment,  and  it  became 
my  indispensable  mission  to  do  so.  I  had  to  wdrk  on  a 
ground  not  yet  prepared  for  the  seed  to  be  (Jeposited  in 
it,  and  I  felt  that,  to  prodiice  a  favorable  jmpregiion,  I 


'^ 


OOL.  MABSnALL  AND  OOL.  MUTER. 


22.5 


had  to  proceed  with  reserve,  and  avoid  with  the  utmost 
care  any  demonstration  which  might  be  calculated  to 
cause  surprise  or  alarm.  For  these  motives,  I  gave  an 
eq^nivocf  I  shape  to  the  expression  of  my  design,  speaking 
of  it  in  general  terms,  as  being  recommended  by  emi- 
nent politicians  ot  tL'^  Atlantic  coast,  with  whom  I  had 
conversed  on  this  affair,  and  thus,  by  indirect  suggestions 
and  arguments,  I  inspired  the  people  with  my  own 
views,  without  presenting  them  as  such,  because  it  would 
have  been  imprudent  in  me  to  divulge  them  under, the 
existing  circumstances,  and  I  can  give  you  the  solemn 
assurance  that  I  found  all  the  men  belonging  to  the  first, 
class  of  society  in  the  district,  with  the  exception  of  Colo- 
nel Marshall,  our  surveyor,  and  Colonel  Muter,  one  of 
our  judges,  decidedly  in  favor  of  separation  from  the 
United  States  and  of  an  alliance  wilJi  Spain.  At  first, 
these  two  men  had  expressed  this  same  opinion  with 
warmth,  but  now  their  feelings  have  taken  a  different 
direction  from  private  motives  of  interest  and  personal 
pique;  for  which  reasons  I  have  very  little  to  dread 
ti'om  their  influence ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  I  foresaw 
that  they  would  avaU  themselves  of  the  opposition  made 
by  some  literary  demagogues,  who  were  under  the  influ- 
ence of  fear  and  prejudice.  Nevertheless,  I  determined 
to  lay  the  question  before  our  Convention,  and  I  took 
the  necessary  measures  accordingly. 

"I  was  thus  occupied  until  the  28th  of  July,  on  which 
day  our  Convention  met  at  Danville,  in  confonnity  with 
the  ordinance  you  saw  in  the  Gazette  which  I  sent  you 
by  Major  Dunn.  The  Honorable  Samuel  McDcweD, 
President  of  the  Convention,  had,  the  day  before,  receiv- 
ed a  packet  from  the  Secretary  of  Congres%  coxftioning 
an  acQount  of  the  proceedings  of  that  body  on  the  sub- 
ject which  6X(4ted  our  solicitude,-^hat  is^  our  intended 
separali^  ^m  the  State  of  Virginia. 
■  ■■^'  ''  '   15 


* 


'^i 


^. 


■m    %> 


* 


t    , 


't' 


I 


ii 


326 


CALEB  WALLACE   AND   BXNJ.  SEBASTIAN. 


*'  You  will  remember  that,  in  my  memorial,  1  was  of 
opinion  that  the  Atlantic  States  would  not  consent  to 
the  admission  of  this  dintriot  into  the  Ijuion,  as  an  inde- 
pendent  State,  but,  on  my  return  from  New-Orleans,  I 
was  induced  to  alter  my  opinion  fi*c»m  the  information 
which  I  received  through  persons  of  the  highest  authoH- 
ty,  and,  under  that  new  impression,  I  wrote  you  by  Major 
Dunn.  Thus  we  were  not  prepared  for  an  unexpected 
event,  of  which  we  could  have  received  no  premonition. 
You  will  at  first  sight  discover,  on  perusing  the  aforesaid 
paper  No.  1,  that  this  Act  of  Congress  was  passed  with 
the  intention  to  gain  time,  amuse  and  deceive  the  people 
of  this  district,  and  moke  them  believe  that  they  could 
rely  on  the  good  dispositions  of  the  Atlantic  States, 
until  the  formation  of  the  new  government,  when  our 
opponents  flatter  themselves  that  it  will  be  able  to  check 
our  designs.  Unfortunately,  this  artifice  produced  but 
too  much  effect  on  the  members  of  this  Convention,  and 
confirmed  the  apprehensions  of  otheii. 

"  From  this  proceeding  of  Congress  it  resulted,  that  the 
Convention  was  of  opinion,  that  our  proposed  indepen- 
dence and  separation  from  Virginia  not  being  ratified, 
its  mission  and  powers  were  at  an  end,  and  we  found 
ourselves  in  the  altenaative.  either  of  proceeding  to  de- 
clare our  independence,  or  of  waiting  according  to  the 
recommendation  of  Congress.  This  was  the  state  of  af- 
fairs, when  the  Honorable  Caleb  "Wallace,  one  of  our 
Supreme  Judges,  the  Attorney-General  Innis,  and  Ben- 
jamin Sebastian  proposed  a  prompt  separation  from  the 
American  Union,  and  advocated  with  intrepidity  the 
necessity  6f  the  measure.  The  artifice  of  Congress  was 
exposed,  its  proceedings  reprobated^  the  consequences  of 
depending  on  a  body  whose  interests  were  opposed  to 
ours  were  depicted  in  the  most  vivid  colors,  aj^  the 
Bfcrdngest  motives  were  set  forth  to  justify  tlie  seimrfUdon. 


'!»: 


XltTRIOnEB  IN  THE  RENTUCKT  OONVEJmON. 


227 


Tlie  orgaments  used  wem  unhuswerAble,  and  no  opposi- 
tion was  manifeeted  in  the  coarse  of  the  debates.  It 
was  uudiiimoiiflly  conceded  that  the  present  connection 
was  injurious  to  onr  interests,  and  that  it  could  not  last 
any  length  of  time.  Nevertheless,  sir,  when  the  ques- 
tion was  flnidlj  token,  fear  and  folly  prevailed  against 
reason  and  judgment.  It  was  thought  safer  and  more 
convenient  to  adhere  to  the  recommendation  of  Congress, 
and,  in  consequence,  it  was  decided  that  the  people  be 
adtised  to  elect  a  new  Convention,  which  should  meet 
in  the  month  of  November,  in  confoi-mity  with  the  ordi- 
nance which  you  will  find  in  the  Gazette,  No.  2. 

^^  I  am  afraid  of  fatiguing  you  with  these  details,  but 
I  felt  that  it  is  my  duty,  in  an  affair  of  so  much  impor- 
tance, to  relate  facts  as  they  have  occurred.  You  may 
also  blame  me  for  having  raised  this  question  so  soon, 
and  at  a  time  when  I  had  grounds  to  doubt  of  its  being 
decided  favorably,  but  I  flatter  myself  that  my  inten- 
tions justify  my  course  of  actio^i. 

"  To  consolidate  the  interests  and  confirm  the  confi- 
dence of  our  friends,*  to  tiy  our  strength,  to  familiarize 
the  people  with  what  we  aim  at,  to  dissipate  the  appre- 
hension which  important  innovations  generally  produce, 
and  to  provoke  the  resentment  of  Congress  With  a  view 
to  stimulate  that  body  into  some  invidious  political  act, 
which  might  excite  the  passions  of  the  people;  these  are 
the  motives  which  influenced  me,  and  <m  which  I  rely 
for  my  justification. 

"  ITie  last  Convention  was  legally  elected,  and  met  al 
Danville  in  the  month  of  November,  in  confoi'mity  ivith 

*  M  oonsoUdar  lot  inteNM%  7  «et»bloeer  !•  oonfiiaM  dt  iniMtvM  «iQigof  t  «1 
probftr  nQMtru  fuerzat ;  £uDiliariEar  «1  pueblo  ooa  el  Monto^  desruiAQ^r  el  ter- 
ror qi|«  Um  oovedadesJntereeaiiiee  generahnente  ^spirABt';  y  ^  ta^Ux  el  reseali- 
miento'del  Goagreeo  ooa  !•  eq>':r«im.  de  indnei?  » ieete  od^ipa  A  algui  «Mto-  ds 
poUttea  inridlow  qae  p^^Mw  ifcitai;  lot  MiaaM  del  paeliH  P^  "on  lew  inotiToe 
que  me  inHjiyeroii  y  i  lot  que  d^o  mi  .jtutifleMioa.  ;^ 


I* '"' 


m:i^ 


M 


«. 


ift^' 


ii!! 


Mil! 
iii; 


228 


AOnOir   OF  WILKIlS'SOJf   IN  THAT  SODT. 


the  decree  above-mentioned.    Marshall  and  Muter  hat^^ 
in  the  mean  time,  been  scattering  distrusts  and  appre- 
hensions calculated  to  do  injury  to  our  cause.    It  is 
evident,  however,  that  it  has    acquired   consideriable 
force ;  but,  in  order  to  elicit  an  unequivocal  proof  of  the 
dispositions  of  that  assembly,  1  submitted  to  its  exami- 
nation my  original  memorial  and  the  joint  answer  of 
yourself  and  Navarro.    I  received,  in  the  terms  which 
you  will  find  in  the  Gazette,  No.  3,  the  unanimous  thanlts 
of  that  body,  in  token  of  its  approbation  of  my  conduct 
on  that  occasion.    Some  of  our  friends  urged  me  to  avail 
myself  of  this  opportunity  to  revive  the  great  question, 
but  I  thought  that  it  was  more  judicioas  to  indulge  those 
who,  for  the  moment,  wish  only  that  a  new  application 
be  made  in  relation  to  the  independence  and  separation 
of  Kentucky  from  Virginia,  and  that  a  memorial  be 
addressed  to  Congress  on  the  necessity  of  obtaining  the 
free  use  of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi.    I  assented 
to  these  last  propositions  the  more  Treadily,  that  it  was 
unanimously  resolved  that,  should  any  of  them  be  re- 
jected, then  the  people  would  be  invited  to  adopt  all  the 
measures  necessary  to  secure  for  themselves  a  separate 
government  from  that  of  the  United  States,  because  it 
would  have  become  evident  that  Congress  had  neither 
the  will  nor  the  power  to  satisfy  their  hopes.    I  deter- 
mined therefore  to  wait  for  the  effects  which  will  result 
from  the  disappointmeBtt  of  those  hopes,  and  on  which  I 
rely  to  unite  the  country  into  one  opirflon.    This  is  the 
basis  on  which  the  great  question  now  rests,  and  the 
Convention  has  adjourned  to  the  neict  month. 

"Thus,  Sir,  if  we  review  the  policy  favored  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Kentucky,  we  see  that  the  most  intelligent 
and  the  wealthiest  relish  our  designs,  which  are  opposed 
by  only  two  men  of  rank,  who,  controlled  by  their  fears 
of  silly  demagogues,  and  filling  their  followers  Tdith  hopes 


WILKIlfSOSr  CX)MMUNIOATW   HIS  VIEWS  tO  SP^JN.      229. 

from  tlie  expected  action  of  the  new  Congress,  have 
caiised  the  suspension  of  the  measures  we  had  in  view  to 
unite  the  people,  and  thus  to  secure  the  success  of  our 
plans  without  involving  the  country  in  violent  civil 
commotions. 

"There  are  three  conditions  which  are  requisite  to 
perpotaate  the  conilection  of  this  section  of  the  country 
wjti  the  Atlantic  States.  The  first,  and  the  most  im- 
portant, is  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi;  the  second, 
which  is  of  equal  consequence,  is  the  admission  of  this 
district  into  the  Union  as  an  independent  State,  and  on 
the  same  footing  with  the  others ;  the  third,  and  the 
last,  which  is  of  less  moment,  is  the  exemption  from 
taxes  until  the  befalling  of  the  two  events  previously 
mentioned.  Now,  Sii",  as  two  of  _  these  conditions  are 
inadmissible,  either  by  the  Atlantic  States  or  by  Spain, 
can  any  one  hesitate  to  declare  what  will  be  the  conse- 
quences ?  With  due  Reference,  I  say.  No ;  because,  as  it 
is  not  rational  to  suppose  the  voluntary  casting  away  of 
property,  that  another  may  profit  by  it,  so  it  is  not  to 
be  presumed  that  the  Eastern  States,  which  at  present 
have  the  balance  of  power  in  their  favor  in  the  American 
government,  will  consent  to  strip  themselves  Of  this 
advantage,  fd  increase  the  weight  of  the  Souther^ 
States,  by  acKnowledging  the  independence  of  this  dis- 
trict and  admitting  it  to  be  a  member  of  the  Federal 
Union,  That  the  people  of  Kentucky,  as  soon  as  they 
are  certain  of  their  being  refused  what  they  claim,  will 
separate  from  the  United  States,  is  proclaimed  even  by 
Marshall,  Muter,  and  their  more  timid  followers. 

"The  same  effect  will  be  produced  by  the  suspension 
of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  which  lies  entirely 
in  the  power  of  Spain,  and  which  must  reduce  this  seo^ 
tion  of  the.  country  to  misery  and  ruin;  and  as  it  has 
been  jti^ulated  ikaX  tht?  operations  of  the  Federal  1GI^» 


■# 


liL 


230      WILKINSON  COMMUNICATES  HIS  VIEWS  TO  SPAIN. 

yernment  shall  be  uniform,  tlie  new  Congress  will  have 
to  lay  taxesj  without  exception  whatever,  <)ver  tl^e  whole 
country  submitted  to  its  jurisdiction.  'Pie  pc .'pie  here, 
not  having  the  means  of  paying  those  taxes,  will  resist 
them,  and  the  authority  of  the  new  government  will  be 
set  at  naught,  which  will  produce  a  ciy^l  war,  and  result 
in  the  separation  of  the  West  from  the  East. 

"This  event  is  vritten  in  the  book  of  destiny.  But 
if,  to  produce  it,  we  trust  solely  to  the  natural  effect  of 
political  measures,  we  shall  experience  some  delay,  It 
is  in  the  power  of  Spain,  however,  to  precipitate  its 
accomplishment  by  a  judicious  cooperation ;  and  permit 
me  here  to  illustrate  the  observations  which  I  presented 
some  time  ago  to  youreelf  and  Navarro,  in  my  answer  to 
your  inquiries  as  to  the  nature  of  that  cooperation. 

"As  long  as  the  connection  between  the  Amerir ';  ? 
the  East  and  of  the  West  on  this  side  of  the  Apalf  !  ■ 
mountains  shall  produce  reciprocal  benefits,  and  an 
equal  security  to  their  common  interests  and  happiness, 
the  Union  will  maintain  itself  on  a  sOlid  foundation,  and 
will  resist  any  effort  to  dissolve  it;  but,  as  soon  a^  it 
shall  be  ascertained  that  one  section  of  the  confederacy 
derives  from  the  Union  more  advantages  than  the  other, 
and  that  the  blessings  of  a  good  government— such  as 
peace  and  protection — cannot  be  equally  distributed, 
then  harmony  will  cease,  and  jealousies  will  arise,  pro- 
ducing discord  and  disunion.  In  order  to  aid  the  favor- 
f^ble  dispositions  of  Providence,  to  foment  the  suspicions 
and  feelings  of  distrust  already  existing  here,  and  inflame 
the  animosity  between  the  Eastern  and  Western  States, 
Spain  must  resort  to  every  artifice  and  other  means 
which  may  be  in  her  power. 

"I  have  stated  that  the  navigation  of  the  l^lGssissippi, 
and  its  admission  as  an  independent  State  and  a  member 
of  the  UnioB)  are  rights  claimed  by  the  peo|)Ie  of  i^ 


-w 


WlLtoNBON'S  ADVICE  TO  SiPAIir. 


231 


piirt  of  t^e  coimtiy;  and  constituting  one  of  tlie  principal 
conditions  tinder  wMch  its  connection  with  the  Atlantic 
States  is  to  continue.  Hence  it  follows,  that  every  mani- 
festitioii  of  the  power  of  Spain  and  of  the  debility  of 
the  t]"nited'Stfites,ev€r^  Evidence  of  the  resoltition  of 
the  former  to  retain  esxjlusivelyfor  herself  the  right  of 
navigation  on  the  Mississippi,  and  every  proof  of  the 
incapacity  of  the  latter,  wiU  facilitate  onr  views.  Every 
cu'cumstanee  also  that  will  tend  to  impede  our  admission 
as  ah  independent  State  wiU  loosen  the  attachment  of 
many  individuals,  increase  the  discontent  of  the  people, 
and  fdvor  the  execution  of  our  plan. 

"Until  I  devoted  myself  entirely  tothe  affair  in  which 
we  are  engaged,  I  confess  that  I  could  not  discover  the 
aim  of  the  first  treaty  proposed  by  Gardoqui  to  Con- 
gress, but  it  seems  to  me  now  that  I  can  penetrate  its 
poh'cy.  I  consider  it  as  profoundly  judicious,  and  I  am 
of  opinion  that  it  ought  to  be  renewed  and  vigoro^ly 
carried  on,  until  its  objects  be  attained,  cost  What  it 
may,  because,  besides  that  the  proposed  relinquishment 
of  the  right  of  navigating  the  Mississippi  would  immedi- 
ately disrupt  the  Union,  and  separate  for  ever  the  West 
from  the  East,  the  sanction  of  the  tr^p  ■  y  by  Congreds 
would  make  our  situation  so  truly  derperate,  that  Great 
Britain  would  not  venture  to  intervene  in  Our  favor,  aiid 
all  our  hopes  would  rest  on  the  liberality  of  Spain. 

"Whilst  this  afiair  is  pending,  Spain  ought  to  consider 
the  nav^ation  of  the  Mississippi  as  one  of  the  most  pre- 
cious jewels  of  her  crown.  For,  whatever  power  shall 
command  tiiat  navigation,  will  control  all  the  country 
which  is  watered  by  that  river  and  by  those  streams 
which  fall  into  it.  This  control  will  be  as  effective  and 
complete  as  that  of  the  key  upon  the  lock,  or  that  of  the 
citadel  over  the  eixterior  works  which  it  commands. 
The  grM  of  th^  boofi  oi^ht  to  be  looked  upcm  as  the 


mM 

232 


Wilkinson's  advice  to  spain. 


J' 
I') 

nil 


,piice  of  our  attadnnent  and  graititade,  ^d  I  "beg  leave 
to  be  pennitted  to  repeat,  that  there  must  be  ktiown  no 
instance  of  its  being  extended  to  any  other  than  those 
who  understand  and  promote  the  interests  of  Spadn  in 
this  part  of  the  country.  I  entreat  you,  Sir,  to  believe, 
that  this  question  of  navigation  is  the  main  one  on  which 
depends  the  union  of  the  West  and  East,  and  that^  if 
Congress  can  obtain  the  free  use  of  the  Mississippi,. and 
if  Spain  should  cede  it  without  condition,  it  would 
strengthen  the  Union,  and  would  deprive  Spain  of  all 
its  influence  on  this  district. 

"The  sanguine  spirit  of  an  American  impels  him  to 
construe  in  his  favor  everything  that  is  left  doubtful, 
and  therefore  Spain  cannot  act  with  too  absolute  preci- 
sion on  this  important  question.  You  must  not  forget. 
Sir,  that  such  was  my  first  impression,  in  which  I  have 
been  daily  confirmed  by  subsequent  observations  and 
experie..  ^o.  The  concessions  of  the  Americany  wiU  be 
in  proportion  to  the  energy  and  power  exhibited  by 
Spain;  but  were  she  to  yield,  she  would  lose  much  in 
dignity  and  consideration,  and  she  would  breed  m  "he 
Americans  a  spirit  of  pride  and  self-importance  quite 
incompatible  with  our  designs.  ThviS,  the  privileges 
conceded  to  emigrants  are.  an  obstacle  in  the  w?y  of  our 
great  undertaking,  because,  as  they  were  bestowed  beiore 
they  were  asked  for,  and  as  they  were  entirely  unex- 
pected, they  have  been  considered  here  by  many  as  the 
effects  of  fear,  and  as  a  prelude  to  the  removal  of  all 
Testrictions  whatever  on  our  commerce. 

"The  generality  of  our  population  are  constantly  dis- 
cussing and  fostering  these  ideas,  and  as  long  as  the 
hopes  they  have  conceived  on  this  subject  are  kept 
up,  it  is  a  circumstance  which  will  militate  in  iitvpr  of 
th^  Union,  and-  wiU  delay  the  effect  of  my  operatioiis^ 

"With  due  deference  I  may  be  permitted  tbsay,  tEat, 


Wilkinson's  advice  to  spain. 


23$ 


to  people  the  bonks  of  the  Mississippi  with  Americans 
ought  to  be  an  object  of  secondary  itdportance  to  the 
interests  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  because  there  is  n6 
necessity  to  transplant  a  population  which  can  be  con- 
trolled and  governed  on  the  soil  where  it  grows  naturally. 
The  engrafted  branch  retains  the  primitive  qualities  of 
the  parent  trunk.  Moreover,  if  Spain  can  estabMi 
colonies  of  Americans  on  the  Mississippi,  there  is  no 
reason  why  she  should  not  have  them  also  on  the  Ohio. 
It  is  an  incontestable  fact,  worthy  of  your  attention,  that 
the  emigrants  who  have  come  down  the  Ohio,  in  order 
to  settle  in  Louisiana,  are  insolvent  debtors  and  fugitives 
from  justice,  and  are  poor  and  without  principles.  Such 
people  are  not  only  unworthy  vassals,  but  also  ought  to 
be  looked  upon  as  dangerous  chai'acters,  against  whom 
it  is  prudent  to  be  on  one's  guard. 

"But,  sir,  should  unforeseen  events  produce  results 
contrary  to  my  wishes,  to  my  logical  deductions  and  to 
my  hopes,  should  an  obstinate  resistance  to  forming  a 
connection  with  Spain,  or  should  an  unexpectedly  hos- 
tile disposition  manifest  itself  in  these  settlements,  then 
the  true  policy  would  be  to  make  of  emigration  the  prin- 
cipal object  to  be  obtained,  and  Spain  would  always 
have  the  power,  through  some  agents  of  an  eminent  rank 
here,  to  draw  to  her  the  most  respectable  portion  of  the 
population  of  this  district.  Hundreds  have  applied -to 
me  on  this  subject,  who  are  determined  to  follow  my  ex- 
ample, and  I  do  not  deceive  myself,  nor  do  I  deceive  you, 
sir,  when  I  aMrm  that  it  is  in  my  power  to  l^id  a  large 
body  of  the  most  opident  and  most  respectable  of  my 
fellow-citizens  whither  I  shall  go  myself  at  their  head, 
and  i  flatter  myself  that,  after  the  dangers  I  have  :run 
and  the  sacrl&oes  which  I  have  made,  after  having  put 
my  honor  tod  my  lif6  in  your  ht^ids,  you  can  havo  iio 
doiibta  of  my  favorable  dispdeitioss  tqw^trds  the  interests 


m 

■M^ 

m 

lilBiil 

H^rnVV* 

ife  If  MWiillW! 

PlP' 

1 

IS 

BIbli'^ 

'In 

Sm 

JWiffiiA' 

iiilff 

1 

m 

284      Wilkinson's  apprehensions  oF'DEEficnoN. 

of  his  CatWlic  Majesty,  as  long  as  my  f)Oor  semces  shaH 
be  necessary.  ^^ 

"After  having  read  these  remarksy  you  will  be  Sur- 
prised at  being  informed,  that  lately  I  have,  jointly  with 
several  gentlemen  of  this  country,  applied  to  Bon  Diego 
Gardoqui  for  a  concession  of  land,  in  order  to  form  a 
settlement  on  the  river  Yazoo.  The  motive  of  this  ap 
plication  is  to  procure  a  place  of  refuge  for  myself  and 
my  adherents^  in  case  it  should  become  necessary  for  us 
to  retire  from  this  country,  in  order  to  avoid  the  resent- 
ment of  Congress.  It  is  true  that  there  is  not,  so  far,  the 
slightest  appearance  of  it,  but  it  is  judicious  to  provide  for 
all  possible  contingencies.  j-k  > 

"  These  observations  are  sincere  and  well  meantj  and 
although  I  still  continue  to  be  without  any  answer  from 
the  Spanish  Ministry,  I  consider  myself  bound  in  honor 
to  proceed  in  my  undertaking  until  I  obtain  favorable 
results.  Ard©Qt  are  my  wishes  and  strong  are  my  hopes, 
but  may  not  both  be  illusive?  Is  it  not  possibl'3  that 
Great  Britain  may  have  accomplished  her  desires,  by  ex- 
chan^g  Gibraltar  for  the  two  Floridas  and  the  Island 
of  New-Orleans  ?  It  is  a  rumor  which  is  afloat  in  Ame- 
rica, and  I  must  confess  that  it  fills  me  with  anxiety ;  for 
I  have  a  irery  recent  proof  that  that  power  turns  it*^  at- 
trition to  this  country  with  the  utmost  earnestness,  and 
sets  in  motion  every  sort  of  machinery  to  secure  its  aun, 
because,  whilst  WtUiam  Eden  is  negotiating  in  Madrid 
with  his  Excellency  the  Count  of  Florida  Blanca,  liord 
Dorchester,  the  Governor  of  Canada,  scatters  his  emissa- 
ries in  this  distiict,  to  win  over  the  people  to  the  interests 
of  Great  Britain.  The  document  No.  4  contains  an  au- 
then^c  copy  of  the  letter  of  General  St.  Clmr,  Grovemor 
of  the  Northm^  portion  of  the  territory  o£  GMOj  to 
Mfjor  Bunm  That  letter,  sir,  is  the  proof  that  the  psqi^ 
which!  play  in  our  great  entorprise^  and  the  dang^s  to 


:k 


kJHousH  iNiKiavxa  vn  the  west. 


235 


wluoh  1  .isa  exjppeed  for  the  service  of  Ms  Catholic  Ma- 
jesty, are  known ;  and  it  will  serve  at  the  same  time  to 
evidence  the  oorrectpess  of  the  information  which  I  gave 
m  my  memorial  in  relation  to  the.designs  of  Great  Bri- 
tain. "Whence  and  how  General  St.  Clair  has  acquired 
txny  knowledge  of  the  vie^s  of  Spain^  I  cannot  guess, 
unless  he  should  have  inferred  them  from  the  indiscreet 
zeal  of  Don  Diego  Gfirdoqui,  which  may  have  hurried 
that  gentleman  into  confidential  communications  to  per- 
sonfit  unworthy  of  tJtiat  trust,  and  even  to  strangers, 
as  must  have  been  demonstrated  to  you  by  the  eurtraot 
of  his  letter  to  Colonel  Morgan,  which  you  will » find  ia 
the  paper  marked  No.  5,  and  which  is  now  circulating 
over  the  whole  of  this  district.  So  far  as  I  am  concerned^ 
having  shared  in  this  important  affiair,  I  will  endeavor  tO: 
discharge  with  fidelity  the  part  assigned  to  m©^  without 
being  deterred  by  the  fear  of  con^sequences,  always  rely-' 
ing  on  the  generosity  of  his  majesty,  who  will  indemnify 
me  or  my  family  for  whatever  loss  of  fortune  I  m^y  incur.. 
"The  British  Colonel  Connelly,  who  is  mentioned  m 
General  St.  Clair's  letter,  arrived  at  Louisville  m  the 
beginning  of  October^  having  travelljgd  irom^  Detroit 
through  the  woods,  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Big  MiadEm^ 
from  which  he  came  down  the  Ohio  in  a  boat*  My. 
agent  in  that  town  (Louisville)  gave  me  immedia^ 
information  of  that  fact,  and  of  the  intention  whic^ 
Connelly  had  to  Tisit  me.  Suspecting  the  nature  c€  the 
negotiation  he  had  on  hand,  I  determined^. in  order  to 
discover  his  secret  views,  to  be  beforehand  with  him^' 
and  to  invite  him  here.  Consequently;  he  «ame  to  JCiy 
house  on  the  8th  of  November.  I  received  him  cma>! 
ceouslyy  and,  as  I  manifested  &v<»'al>le  dispoeiitiEHas 
towards  the  interests  of  his  Britasnic  JiiE^j)^^  ^aooiB. 
gained;  his  oonfidenc&^^Hi&^m^ 
me  ti||Kt  Great  Bi^taki  detdriiig>«  to  aaaictt  thd^^ 


*. 


2d6 


WILKINBOX  DUPBS  GOL.   OOXNELLT 


settlers  in  the  West,  in  their  eiforts  to  open  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  Mississippi,  would  join  them  with  rea^j  zeal, 
to  dispossess  Spain  of  Louisiana.  He  remarked  that 
the  forces  in  Canada  were  not  sufficient  to  send  detach- 
ments of  them  to  us,  but  that  Lord  Dorchester  would 
supply  us  with  all  the  implements  of  war,  and  with 
money,  clothing,  <&c.  ...  to  equip  ten  thousand 
men,  if  we  wished  to  engage  in  that  enterprise.  He 
added  that,  as  soon  as  our  plan  of  operation  should  be 
agreed  upon,  these  articles  would  be  sent  from  Detroit,' 
through  lake  Erie,  to  the  river  Miami,  and  thence  to  the 
Wabash,  to  be  transported  to  any  designated  point  on 
the  Ohio,  and  that  a  fleet  of  light  vessels  would  be  ready 
at  Jamaica  to  take  possession  of  the  Balize,  at  the  same 
time  that  we  should  make  an  attack  from  above.  He 
assured  me  that  he^was  authorized  by  Lord  Dorchester 
to  confer  honors  and  other  rewards  on  the  men  of  influ- 
ence who  should  enter  on  that  enterprise,  and  that  all 
those  who  were  officers  in  the  late  continental  army, 
should  be  provided  with  the  same  grade  in  the  service 
of  Great  Britain.  He  urged  me  much  to  favor  his 
designs,  oflfering  nie  what  rank  and  emoluments  I  might 
wish  for,  and  telling  me  at  the  same  time  that  he  was 
empowered  to  grant  commissions  for  the  raising  of  two 
regiments  which  he  hoped  to  form  in  Kentucky.  After 
having  pumped  out  of  him  all  that  I  wished  to  know,  I 
began  to  weaken  his  hopes  by  observing  that  the  feel- 
ings of  animosity  engendered  by  the  late  revolution 
were  so  recent  in  the  hearts  of  the  Americans,  that  I 
considered  it  impossible  to  entice  them  into  an  alliance 
with  Great  Britain;  that,  in  this  district,  particularly  in 
that  part  of  it  where  the  inhabitants  had  suffered  so 
much  from  the  barbarous  hostUities  of  the  Indians,  which 
were  attributed  to  British  influence,  the  resentment  of 
every  individual  was  much  more  intense  and  implacable, 


'vr 


WHiKINSON  DENOXTNOIS  THE  FBXNOH. 


^87 


In  order  to  justify  this  opinion  of  mine  ftnd  induce  him 
to  go  baek,  I  employed  a  hunter,  who  feigned  attempting 
hii  life.  The  pretext  assumed  by  the  hunter  was  the 
arei^ng  of  the  death  of  hui  son,  murdered  by  the 
Indians  at  the  supposed  instigation  of  the  English.  As 
I  hbld  the  commission  of  a  Civil  Judge,  it  was,  of  course, 
to  be  my  duty  to  protect  him  against  the  pretended 
murderer,  whom  I  caused  to  be  arrested  and  held  in 
custody.  I  availed  myself  of  this  circumstance  to  com- 
municate to  Connelly  my  fear  of  not  being  able  to 
arswer  for  the  security  of  his  poreon,  and  I  expressed 
my  doubts  whether  he  could  escape  with  life.  "It 
alarmed  him  so  much,  that  he  begged  me  to  give  him 
an  escort  to  conduct  him  out  of  our  territory,  which  I 
readily  assented  to,  and  on  the  20'bh  of  November,  he 
recrossed  the  Ohio  on  his  way  back  to  Detroit.  I  did 
not  dismiss  him  without  having  previously  impressed 
upon  him  the  propriety  of  informing  me,  in  as  short  a 
time  as  possible,  of  the  ultimate  designs  of  Lord  Dor- 
chester. As  this  man  was  under  the  protection  of  the 
laws  of  nations,  and  as  he  carefully  avoided  to  commit 
any  offence  against  our  goveiiiment,  I  considered  the 
measure  I  had  resorted  to  as  the  most  appi^priate  to 
destroy  his  hopes  with  regard  to  this  country,  and  I 
think  that  the  relation  he  will  make  on  his .  return  to 
Canada  will  produce  the  desired  effect.  But  should  the 
British  be  disposed  to  renew  the  same  attempt,  as  it 
may  very  well  turn  out  to  be  the  case,  I  shall  be  ready 
to  oppose  and  crush  it  in  the  bud. 

'^lliuSj  sir,  you  see  realized  the  opinions  I  expressed 
in  my  memorial  relatively  to  the  views  which  Great 
Britain  had  on  this  part  of  the  country.  But  whilst  I 
revfeal  to  you  the  designs  of  that  power,  permit  me  a 
fcT^  refiectiond  on  the  conduct  of  France  with  regard  to 

I  know  thukt  pi^  f|K^;.  compact  wiil 


y,i 


t 


2d8 


vnixiixsoit '  ii^iXfouvcBs  the  FRSircH. 


!;: '  ^ 


# 


compel  her  to  assist  Spain  against  any  lio»t^y  wlint^vcr. 
May  not  Spain,  however,  be  exposed  to  suffer  from  *he 
subtle  policy  and  machinations  of  the  most  intrlgning 
and  the  craftiest  of  all  nations  ?  It  is  to  my  knowledge 
that  the  Court  of  Versailles  has,  for  years  past  been 
collecting  every  soii,  of  information  on  this  distiiOT,  and 
that  it  would  give  a  great  deal  to  recover  ite  possessions 
on  the  Mississippi.  In  the  year  1786,  a  Knight  of  St. 
Louis,  named  D'Arg^s,*  arrived  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio, 
gave  himself  out  for  a  naturalist,  and  pretended  that  his 
object  was  to  inquire  into  the  curious  productions  of  this 
country,  but  his  manner  of  living  contradicted  his  asser- 
tion. He  made  few  acquaintances,  lived  very  retired, 
and  during  one  year  that  he  remained  here,  he  never 
went  out  of  Louisville,  where  he  resided,  farther  than  six 
miles.  On  his  perusing  the  first  memorial  which  the 
people  of  this  district  presented  to  the  Legislature  of 
Virginia  on  the  question  of  separation,  he  expressed  hii* 
admiratii^n  that  there  should  be  in  so  new  a  country  a 
writer  capable  of  framing  such  a  composition,  and,  after 
having  made  some  reflexions  on  the  progressive  impor- 
tance df  our  settlements,  he  exclaimed  with  enthusiasm : 
*  Good  God/  m^  country  has  been  hlmd^lut  its  eyes  shall 
soon  be  open  /'  The  confidential  friend  of  this  gentleman 
was  a  Mr.  Tardiveau,  who  had  resided  many  years  in 
K^ntuciky.  D'Argd^s  uSed  to  draw  'drafts  on  M.  de 
Maa'bois,'then  OcmSul  of  France  at  New  York,  and,  finally, 
he  lived  as  one  who  belonged  to  the  family  of  Count  de 
Mbustier,  the  French  minister,  dnd  I  am  informed  from 
a  igood  €Ource,  that  he  presented  to  this  same  Count  de 
life>ttstiei*%Vory  eldbor«kte  memorial  on  these  settlements, 
•whicsh  was  forwards  fd  to  the  Court  of  Frances  ;  V^ 
**I*^haps,  sir,  you  wiU  think  this  infoitoiaticai'#vdi 

*  The  saine  of  whpi|i  MirO  spealo,  and  who  was  one  of  the  secret  agents  of  the 
Spanish  GoTernment. 


ynuamojx^  dibtotiok  to  spact. 


989 


loot,  but  I  am  wt&  yon  will  believ^e  that  it  proceeds 
irom  my  devoted  zeal  for  the  intorests  of  Spain.  Please 
rettiember  thait  trifles  as  light  as  air  frequently  are,  for 
the  faithful  and  the  zealous,  proofe  as  strong  as  those  of 
Holy  Writ. 

':**  Before  closing  this  letter,  I  shall  take  the  liberty  to 
observe  that,  in  .order  to  secure  the  success  of  our 
schemes,  the  most  entire  confidence  must  be  reposed  in 
your  agent  here,  because^  without  it,  his  representations 
will  be  received  with  suspicion,  and  his  recommendatiotis 
disregarded,  or  executed  with  tardy  precautbn, — ^which 
is  <:apable  of  defeating  the  most  ably  devised  plan. 
Whether  I  possess  that  confidence  or  not  is  what  I  am 
ignorant  of,  but  the  Almighty,  who  reads  the  hearts  of 
all  men,  knows  that  I  deserve  it,  because  nobody  ever 
undertook  a  cause  with  more  honest  zeal  and  devotion 
than  I  have  this  one.  You  may  therefore  conceive  the 
Mixiety  which  I  feel  on  account  of  the  silence  of  your 
government  on  my  memorial,  and  I  infinitely  regret  that 
some  communication,  in  relation  to  this  part  of  the 
country,  should  not  be  transmitted  through  Louisiana, 
because  I  know  that  the  negotiation  may  be  conducted 
through  that  channel  with  more  secrecy  and  with  better 
results, 

**Ideem  it  useless  to  mention  to  a  gentleman  well 
versed  in  political  history,  that  the  great  spring  and 
prime  mover  in  aU  negotiations  is  Tnwie^^  Although 
not  being  authorized  by  you  to  do  so,  yet  I  found  it 
liecessaiynto  nse  this  lever,  In  order  to  confirm  some  of 
our  most  eminent  citizens  in  their  attachment  to  our 
cause,  and  to. supply  others  with  the  means  of  operating 
with  vigor.  For  these  objects  I  have  advanced  fiiRe 
thouaand/doll^ors  out  of;  my^  own  funds,  and  half  of  this 
sum,  ap^ed  <^portanely^  woula  attract  Marshall  and 


!i:: 


W*^' 


240     GENERAL  ST.  OLAIB^S  LETTER  TO   MAJOR  DUNK. 

Muter  on  our  side,  but  it  is  now  impossible  for  me  to 
disburse  it 

**  I  shall  not  write  you  again  before  the  month  of  May, 
unless  some  unexpected  event  should  require  it.  At 
that  time,  I  will  inform  you  of  the  decision  of  Virginia 
and  of  Congress  on  our  last  application,  and  I  do  not 
doubt  but  that  our  affaira  will  soon  assume  a  smiling 
aspect."  i 

General  Sinclair's  letter  to  Major  Dunn,  to  which 
Wilkinson  alluded  in  his  preceding  communication,  was 
dated  December  6,  1788.  "Dear  Dunn,"  said  he,  "I 
am  much  grieved  to  hear  that  there  are  strong  dispo- 
sitions on  the  part  of  the  people  of  Kentucky  to  break 
off  their  connection  with  the  United  States,  and  that  our 
friend  Wilkinson  is  at  the  head  of  this  affair.  Such  a 
consummation  would  involve  the  United  States  in  the 
greatest  difficulties,  and  would  completely  ruin  this 
country.  Should  there  be  any  foundation  for  these  re- 
ports, for  God's  sake,  make  use  of  your  influence  to 
detach  Wilkinson  from  that  party." 

On  the  14th  of  February,  1Y89,  two  days  after  he  had 
written  the  despatch  to  Mir6,  in  which  he  said  that  he 
would  remain  silent  until  the  month  of  May  next,  unless 
some  unforeseen  circumstance  should  require  him  to 
resume  his  pen,  Wilkinson  thus  addressed  the  Spanish 
Governor: 

"My  much  esteemed  and  honored  friend:  having 
written  to  you  on  the  12  th  instant,  with  all  the  formality 
and  respect  due  to  the  Governor  of  Louisiana  as  the 
representative  of  his  Sovereign,  I  will  now  address  the 
man  I  love  and  the  friend  I  can  trust,  without  ceremony 
or  reserve. 

"If  you  have  felt  some  surprise,  perplexity  and  dis- 
quietude produced  by  the  silence  of  tike  ministry  on  my 


WILKINBOK  AKD  JAHEB  BROWN. 


241 


memoriBl^  and  if  you  baye  not  yet  received  satiefaotory 
news  from  our  dear  friend,  Don  Martin  Navarro  ♦  I 
believe  that  I  may  say  to  you  that  you  ought  to  be 
Matiflfled,  because  it  seems  that  our  plan  has  been  eagprly 
accepted.  Don  Diego  Gardoqui,  about  the  month  of 
March  last,  received  from  his  court  ample  powers  to 
make  with  the  people  of  this  district  the  arrangements 
he  nught  think  proper,  in  order  to  estrange  them  from 
the  United  States  and  induce  them  to  form  an  alliance 
with  Spain.  I  recvived  this  information,  in  the  first 
place,  from  Mr.  Brown,  the  member  of  Congress  for 
this  district,  who,  siuco  the  taking  intc  c  >n8ideration  of 
our  Implication  to  be  admitted  intc  ^he  Union  has  been 
suspended,  entered  into  some  fr» ».  communications  on 
this  matter  with  Don  Die  '^  Gardoqui.  Tie  returned 
here  in  Septeniber  last,  and  fii  ling  that  there  had  been 
some  opposition  to  our  project,  he  almost  abandoned  the 
cause  in  despair,  and  positively  refrised  to  advocate  in 
public  the  propositions  of  Don  Diego  Gardoqui,  j  he 
deemed  them  fatal  to  our  muse.  Brown  is  one  of  our 
deputies  or  agents ;  he  is  a  young  man  of  respectable 
talents,  but  timid,  without  poUtical  experience,  and  with 
very  little  knowledge  of  the  world.  Nevertheless,  as  he 
firmly  perseveres  in  his  adherence  to  our  interests,  we 
have  sent  him  Iv  '?  e  new  Congress,  apparently  as  our 
representative,  bu\;  in  reality  as  a  spy  on  the  actions  of  * 
that  body.  I  would  myself  have  undertaken  that  charge, 
but  I  did  not,  for  two  reasons:  first,  my  presence  was 
necessarr  licre,  and  next,  I  8h6uld  have  found  myself 
under  the  obligation  of  swearing  to  support  the  new 
go  vemment)  Which  I  am  in  duty  bound  to  oppose. 

**The  intrusting  of  that  negotiation  to  Dcm  Diego 
Gardoqui  m  prefereiH^to^  you  has  ^  )^    a  most  tn^or* 

*  it  iriil  be  r«in«inb«]red  that  NA^txr^  had  rttivud  to  ^un  tii*  preofldiiig 

16 


:*■-} 


'^'^^. 


mm 
m 


m 


i 


242 


^ABDOQUI   AND  MAJOR  DUNN* 


tunate  circumstance,  because  this  gentleman  does  not 
use  bis  powers  with  prudence.  He  gives  passports  to 
everybody,  and,  instead  of  forming  connections  with 
me^j  of  influence  in  this  district,  who  should  be  interested 
in  favoring  his  designs,  he  negotiates  with  individuals 
who  live  in  the  Atlantic  States,  who  therefore  have  no 
knowledge  of  this  section  of  the  country,  and  have  no 
interest  in  it. 

"  When  Major  Dunn  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  he  found 
that  his  wife  and  children  had  gone  to  Rhode  Island. 
In  his  journey  thither,  he  passed  through  New  York, 
and  Don  Diego  Gardoqui  sent  for  him  and  put  him 
several  questions  on  the  circumstances  relative  to  this 
district  and  the  object  of  his  last  voy%e  to  New  Or- 
leans. Gardoqui  plied  DuUn  with  the  most  friendly 
offers ;  he  said  that  he  would  not  confine  his  good  inten- 
tions to  the  granting  of  passports,  but  would  render 
what  services  might  be  necessary;  that  he  would  also 
act  with  equal  liberality  towards  -Dunn  and  Dunn's 
fidends;  and  would  bestow  upon  them  much  more  im- 
poi*tant  favors  than  could  the  Governor  of  Louisiana, 
because  he  had  more  extensive  powers.  The  Major, 
with  much  prudence,  warded  off  his  inquiries,  and  pro- 
mised writing  him  from  this  district.  But  Gardoqui's 
eagerness  rose  to  such  a  pitch,  that  he  pursued  the  Major 
•  to  Philadelphia  with  a  letter,  the  original  of  which  I 
inclose  to  you  (No.  1).  The  Major,  in  his  visit  to  Gar- 
doqui, discovered  that  there  were  various  individuals 
and  companies  who  courted  the  favor  of  the  Minister, 
in  order  to  obtain  the  faculty  of  makii^  settlements  on 
the  Mississippi  and  participate  in  the  advantages  of  our 
commerce.  When  Dunn  reached  Kentucky  and  gave 
me  this  information,  it  struck  me  '''  was  necessary  that 
he  should  return  immediately  to  i^ew  York,  and  see 
Don  Diego  Gardoqui,  in  order  to  change  this  Minist^r^s 


WILKmSON  DENOtmOES  COL.  StOBOAN. 


24d 


ideas,  which,  if  persisted  in,  woidd  be  cotitrary  to  our 
gre&t  designs,  and  in  order  to  suggest  to  him  the  true 
policy  which  he  ought  to  pursue.  With  a  view  to  re- 
moving every  cause  of  distrust  or  unf&,vorabie  impres- 
sions from  Gardoqui^s  mind,  I  wrote  to  him  the  letter  of 
which  I  send  you  a  copy  (Doc.  N'b.  2),  and  I  flatter 
myself,  my  esteemed  friend,  that  it  will  meet  yoiir  ap- 
probation. The  Major  carries  with  him  a  petition,  to 
obtain,  on  the  Yazoo  and  the  Mississippi,  the  concession 
of  land  to  which  I  alluded  in  my  last  letter.  It  is  the 
most  advantageous  site  to  form  a  settlement  above 
Natchez.  That  petition  is  signed  by  Innis,  Sebastian, 
Dunn,  Brown  and  myself.  Our  intention  is  to  make  an 
establishment  on  the  ground  mentioned  in  my  commu- 
nication of  the  12th,'  and  with  a  view  to  destroy  the 
plan  of  a  certain  Colonel  Morgan. 

This  Colonel  Morgan  resides  for  the  present  with  his 
family,  in  the  vicinity  of  Princeton  in  New  Jersey,  but 
twenty  or  twenty-five  years  ago  he  used  to  trade  with 
the  Indians  at  Kaskaskia,  in  copartnership  with  Baynton 
and  Whaiton.  He  is  a  man  of  education  and  possesses 
an  intelligent  mind,  but  he  is  a  deep  and  thorough  specu- 
lator. He  has  already  become  twice  a  bankrupt,  and 
according  to  the  information  which  I  have  lately  received, 
he  is  now  in  extremely  necessitous  circumstances,  tlb}.  <&c. 
He  was  sent  by  a  New  Jersey  Company  to  New  York, 
in  order  to  negotiate  with  C5ngress  the  purchase  of  a 
vast  tract  of  land  comprising  Cahokia  and  Kaskaskia. 
But  whilst  this  alfair  was  pending,  he  found  it  to  his 
interest  to  deal  with  Don  Diego  Gardoqui^  and  he  dis- 
covered that  it  was  more  advantageous  for  Mm  to  shift 
his  negotiation  from  the  United .  States  to  Spain.  The 
result  was,  that  he  obtained,  forsooth,  the  most  extraor- 
dinary concession,  which  extends  along  the  Miaciiss^i, 
from  the  monih  of  the  St.  Francis  river  to  point  <%«^ 


•i* 


«li 


244 


WILKINSON  DENOUNCES  COL.   MORGAN. 


Hommes^m  the  West,  containing  f5pom  twelve  to  fifteen 
millions  of  acres.  I  jbave  not  seen  Morgan^  nor  am  I  ac- 
quainted with  the  particulai's  of  his  contract,  but  I  have 
set  a  spy  after  him  since  his  coming  to  these  parts  and 
his  going  down  the  river  to  take  possessioii  of  his  tww 
pr(yvince^  and  through  that  spy,  I  have  collected  the  fot 
lowing  information :  "  that  the  intention  of  Morgan  is  to 
build  a  city  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  as  neai' 
the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  as  the  nature  of  the  ground  may 
permit;  that  he  intends  selling  his  lands  by  small  or 
large  lots  for  a  shilling  an  acre ;  that  Don  Diego  Gardo- 
qui  pays  all  the  costs  of  that  establishment,  and  has 
imdertaken  to  make  that  new  town  a  free  port,  to  inter- 
cept all  the  productions  of  this  country,  on  the  most  ad- 
vantageous terms  he  may  be  able  to  secure  from  our 
people.  Morgan  departed  from  here,  in  the  beginning 
of  this  month,  to  take  possession  of  his  territory,  to  sur- 
vey it,  and  fix  the  site  of  the  town,  which  will  be  called 
New  Madrid.  He  took  with  him  two  surveyors,  and 
from  forty  to  fifty  persons  besides ;  but  not  one  of  them 
was  from  Kentucky.  This  is  all  that  he  could  do.  In  a 
oolitical  point  of  view  Morgan's  establishment  can  pro- 
duce no  good  result,  but,  on  the  contrary,  will  have  the 
most  pernicious  consequences;  because  the  Americans 
who  may  settle  there,  will,  on  account  of  their  proximity 
to,  and  their  constant  intercoui*se  with  their  countrymen, 
of  this  side  of  the  river,  retain  their  old  prejudices  and 
feelings,  and  will  continue  to  be  Americans  as  if  they 
were  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  On  the  other  side,  the 
intention  of  detaining  the  productions  of  this  vast  country 
at  a  point  so  distant  from  their  real  market,  whilst  the 
Americans  shall  remain  the  carriers  of  that  trade,  cannot 
fail  to  <;ause  discontents  and  to  embroil  the  two  countries 
in  difficulties.  Probably  it  will  destroy  the  noble  febric 
of  which  we  have  laid  out  the  foundations,  and  which 


mf 


WIL3nN80N  DENOUNCES  COL.  KOltOAN. 


245 


we  are  endeavoring io  complete.  Kit  be  deemed  neces- 
sary to  keep  «the  Americans  at  a  distance  from  Louisiana, 
let  the  Spaniards  at  least  be  the  carriers  of  the  produce 
they  receive  in  theii*  ports,  and  of  the  merchandise  which 
is  acceptable  to  the  Americans.  In  this  way  will  be 
formed  an  impenetrable  barrier,  without  any  costs  to  the 
king,  because,  in  less  than  thirty  yeara,  his  Catholic  Mar 
jesty  will  have  on  the  river  thirty  thousand  boatmen  at 
least,  whom  it  will  be  easy  to  equip  and  to  Convei*t  into 
armed  bodies,  to  assist  in  the  defence  of  the  province, 
from  whatever  quarter  it  may  be  threatened.  >, 

"I  am  informed  that  Morgan  intends  visiting  you,  as 
soon  as  he  shall  have  finished  the  survey  of  the  lisinds 
conceded  to  him.  Permit  me  to  supplicate  you,  my 
most  esteemed  of  friends,  not  to  give  him  any  knowledge 
of  my  plans,  sentiments  or  des^ns.  It  is  long  «mce  he 
has  become  jealous  of  me,  and  you  may  rest  assm'ed  that, 
in  reality,  he  is  not  well  aflfected  towards  our  cause,  but 
that  he  allows  himself  to  be  entirely  ruled  by  motives 
of  the  vilest  self  interest,  and  therefore  that  he  wiH  not 
scruple,  on  his  return  to  New  York,  to  destroy  me.  One 
of  the  objects  of  Major  Dunn,  in  seeing  Gardoqui,  is  to 
sound  him  on  this  affair,  and  I  doubt  not  but  that  he  will 
do  so  successfully.  I  expect  him  back  in  the  beginning 
of  April,  he  having  departed  from  here  on  the  17th  of 
January,  £i,nd  I  having  heard  of  his  safe  arrival  on  the 
other  side  of  the  mountains.  Immediately  after  his  fe- 
tum,  I  shall  either  go  in  person  and  visit  you,  or  I  shall 
send  yoi:|.  an  aH^rusty  friend.  \ 

"As  Don  Diego  Gardoqui  has  given  passports  to  all 
those  who  applied  for  any,  you  must  expect^fhat  various 
individuals  will  come  down  the  river  in  the  course;  0f  the 
season,  but  you  must  take  carie,  my  hoaioi^ed  friend,  to 
reppse  conMenoe  in  none  but  such  as  will  delivei^  you  a 
/"etter  from  me,  beca^ise  I  will  fteush  w^  one,  every 


m 


246 


PETEE  PAUIiUS,   DORSET  AND   PAULIN. 


man  of  merit,  veracity  and  influence.  I  presmne  that 
tlteremust  now  be  in  New  Orleans  a  certain  Peter  Pau- 
las, who  is  sent  fron\  Philadelphi  ,  where  he  kept  soul 
and  body  together  by  being  an  obscure  tavern  keeper. 
There  are  now  here  a  Mr.  Dorsey  and  a  Mr.  Paulin,  with 
passports  from  Gardoqui  and  letters  for  you  from  Dr. 
1  .anklin  and  Thomas  Miflin,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania. 
These  two  individuals  are  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  where 
they  kept  a  dry  goods  store.  Having  both  become  bank- 
rupts, "they  brought  some  effects  to  Kentucky,  and  have 
exchanged  them  for  productions  of  the  country,  which 
they  will  carry  down  to  New  Orleans,  in  order  to  make 
a  few  dollars  out  of  his  Catholic  Majesty  and  take  them 
back  to  their  families  at  Philadelphia.  Such  are,  my 
esteemed  friend,  the  new  comers  who  produce  Gardoqui'f 
credentials.  Your  own  judgment  must  tell  you  that  they 
can  have  no  weight  in  the  important  question  we  have 
on  hand.  Why  then  should  they  have  rewards  and  pri- 
vileges ?  And  such  men  have  the  audacity  to  suppose 
that  they  wiU  obtain  leave  from  you- to  do  whatever  they 
please ! 

"  Herein  inclosed  (Doc.  No.  3),  you  will  And  two  Ga- 
zettes which  contain  all  the  proceedings  of  our  last  Con- 
vention. You  will  observe  that  the  memorial  to  Con- 
gress, was  presented  by  me,  and  perhaps  your  first 
impression  wiQ  be  that  of  surprise  at  such  a  document 
having  issued  from  the  pen  of  a  good  Spaniard.  But,  on 
further  reflection,  you  wiU  discover  that  my  policy  is  to 
justify  in  the  eye  of  the  world  our  meditated  separation 
from  the  rest  of  the  Union,  and  quiet  the  apprehensions 
of  some  friends  in  the  Atlantic  States,  the  better  to  di- 
yide  them,  because,  knowing  how  impossible  it  is  that 
the  United  States  should  obtain  what  we  aspire  to,  not 
only  did  I  gratify' my  sentiments  and  inclinations,  but 
I  also  framed  niy  memorial  in  such   a  style  as  was 


'*? 


"mLKINSON's  IJETTEB  TO  OABDOQUI. 


24^ 


best  calculated  to  excite  the  passions  of  onr  people ;  and 
convince  them  tliat  Congress  has  neither  the  powe^  nor 
the  will  to  enforce  their  claiu.  and  pretensions,  i'hus 
having  energetically  and  publicly  represented  our  lights 
and  lucidly  established  our  pretensions,  if  Congress  doet 
not  support  them  with  efficacy  (which  you  know  it  can- 
not do,  even  if  it  had  the  inclination),  not  only  will  all 
the  people  of  Kentucky,  but  also  the  whole  world,  ap- 
prove of  our  seeking  protection  from  another  quarter. 

"  Your  favoring  the  fitting  out  of  the  boat  destined 
for  this  part  of  the  country  wiH,  no  doubi^  meet  the  ap- 
probation of  his  majesty,  because  truly,  my  friend,  i his  is 
an  important  point  gained  to  convince  the  people  of 
Kentucky  that,  instead  oi  i^<^nding  their  money  across  the 
i^ountaihs  in  order  to  purcliase  their  various  necessities, 
they  can  with  advantage  procure  them  in  New  Orleans, 
iu  exchange  for  their  produce  and  on  better  terms. 
Adieu*  my  dearest  friend !  To-morrow  I  go  to  the  falls 
of  Ohio,  in  order  to  despatch  my  boats."  '  v 

The  letter  to  Gardoqui,  to  which  Wilkinson  alluded^ 
and  of  which  he  sent  a  copy  to  Miro,  had  been  written 
on  the  1st  of  January,  1789,  and  was  couched  in  these 
terms :  "  Sir,  I  venture  to  address  you  this  letter,  under 
the  supposition  that  my  correspondence  will  not  be 
undervalued  in  your  estimation,  when  you  are  informed 
that,  although  not  personally  known  to  you,  I  have  been  • 
one  of  the  first  and  most  active  agents  to  promote  the 
political  designs  which  you  seem  to  entertain  in  relation 
to  this  country;  that,  in  support  of  those  projects  which 
aim  at  securing  the  reciprocal  happiness  of  the  Spaniard 
of  Louisiana  and  of  the  American  of  Kentucky,  I  have* 
voluntarily  sacrificed  my  domestic  feHcitiesj  my  time. 


*  H«  BaoriBoaiio  voluntariamente  mU  domeaticu  felio^adeat  tiempq^  l^^nes, 
oomodidAdeit  ;^  lo  ^n«  «•  ps'i  imporUnti^  iluHldon^  •!  lubw  my  fiuaa  praaon*! 


1 


'48 


WILKINSONS   LETTBBTO  OABDOQUL 


0. 


my  fortune,  my  comforts^  and,  what  is  more,^^  have  given 
up  p7X)inoting  my  personal  fanio  and  politioaV character. 
In  the  pursuit  of  the  object  which  I  ha  i  o  in  view^  I  tres- 
]  ass  upon  your  attentic  Ji  xin^-i^  the  firm  oersuasiofn  that 
you  will  excuse  the  liberty  i  tt^\e,  Ami  ;.  >  \oh  or^inates 
from  my  seai  for  the  pio^perity  ot  Lodsiana  aud^;  Ken- 
tneky,  and  (bat,  wJiatevei*  he  the  result  of  tnis  affair, 
:wJiiat  I  am  going  to  communicate  to  you  will  remaub  Tor 
ever  locked  up  in  your  breast.  h* 

"  Yon  may  not  hav(;i  tbrgotten  thav,  during  the  winter 
of  1787,  the  Bjtron  d':  Si^euljen  u;;  plied  to  you,  in  order 
to  obtain  a  passport  for  a  gentleman  who  wished  to 
vitit  Louisiana,  by  descending  the  river  Mississippi. 
You,  at  first,  gave  yoiu*  assent,  but  withdrew  it  after- 
wards. I  do  not  know  whether  my  name  was  mentioned 
to  you  at  the  time,  but  the  evidienfie.  resulting  fi^om  my 
having  possession  of  the  very  letter  in. which  you 
excused  yourself  to  the  Baron,  and  which  he  sent  to  ine, 
in  order  to  show  why  his  applicp.tion  on  my  behalf  had 
no  effect,  will  convince  you  thtit  he  who  now  addres«(;3 
you  is  the  same  individual  for  whom  the  Baron  acted. 
Your  refusal,  however,  did  not  put  an  end  to  my  design, 
and  I  determined  to  venture  on  visiting  New  Orleans, 
ostensibly  for  commercial  purposes,  but  in  reality  for 
the  foUowing  reasons: 

"An  intimate  knowledge  and  a  comparative  analysis 
of  the  relative  local  circumstances  of  the  Atlantic  and 
Western  States  did  not  leave  in  my  mind  the  slightest 
doubt,  even  on  the  very  threshold  of  my  investigation, 
that  their  interests  were  of  an  opposite  character  and 
their  policy  irreconcilable.  Having  established  my 
family  in  Kentucky,  where  I  had  acquired  a  large  tract 
of  land,  I  foresaw  that  I  had  nothing  to  hope  from  the 
Union.  Under  this  imptession,  I  considered  that  it  was 
my  duty  to  look  anywhere  else,  for  the  patrcniage  and 


% 


^0 


waxntBQis's  usjtbb  to  c^abdoqul 


249 


protection  which  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  our 
eitensivie  estiablishments  required  imperatively.  With 
this/view,*  I  entered  the  jurisdiction  of  the  goveminent 
of  Louisiana,  and  also  with  the  detemdnation  to  run  the 
risk  of  endountering  judicial  difficultieSjf  in.  case  my 
propositions  were  rejected,  and  then  to  open  a  negotia- 
tion with  Great  Britain,  which  had  already  been  active 
in  the  matter.  But,  truly,  the  manner  in  which  the 
Governor  and  the  Intei^dant  received  me  removed  all 
my  apprehensions,  and  led  to  a  free  and  reciprocal  com- 
munication of  confidential  thoughts  and  sentiments. 
Really,  their  urbanity  and  caressing  attentions  td  mej 
mspired  my  heart  with  the  warmest  attachment  for  their 
persons,  whilst  my  observations  in  relation  to  the 
dlcmency,  the  justice  and  energy  of  their  government 
forced  me  to  make  comparisons,  which  were  far  from 
being  favorable  to  the  turbulent  licence  in  whifth  We 
live.  With  the  permission  of  these  gentlemen,  I  re- 
duced to  writing  my  views  on  the  situation,  circum- 
stances, aspirations  and  mterests  of  the  country  in  which 
I'  live,  on  the  policy  of  the  Atlantic  States  in  referetice 
thereto,  and  on  the  designs  of  Great  Britain,  with 
copious  reflections  on  the  true  interest  of  his  CaiJiolic 
Majesty  and  the  system  he  ought  tO  piirsue  in  oifderto 
Gecure  and  extend  his  colony  of  Louisiana.  Tliis  essay 
or  memorial,  according  to  my  express  d^ire,  was  jfor- 
warded  direct  from  New  Orleans  to  Madrid,:  in  Septeni- 
ter,  ITSY.  As  this  affair  was  to  me  of  the  utttiost 
importance,  and  as  I  was  not  acquainted  with  your  poll* 

*  Con  Mte  ictento  m«  diri^    al  gobiemo  de  la  Lniwina*  determin^ii  al 
misnio  tidoipo  en  Ta  aitefnatlva  de '  qne,  si  aa  dti^Mobaaen  mil  prqposiiejkuiei^ 
corre^fH  el  rietgo  dauna  <iotite»taoioii  (^vil,  ^  al>riria  iiiii^^^^^tt 
Qi»n  BrataSit,  pea*  la  qua  se  faabia^  iSado  ya  pasos  «>br«  M^^  aanote.         -  ?? ,      ''^ 

f  iBe  allad«i|,  nlo  doubt,  to  tibe  axpec^d  Mizare.of  tilie<frgo  of  tobaiQed  witb 
whicb  ha  had  gone  cNrn  to  !r«v  priMM^'w^ottt^)^^ 


# 


^50 


WILKINSON'S  LETTER  TO  OABDOQITI. 


*» 


tical  views,  I  refused  my  consent  to  its  being  oommom 
cated  to  you,  and  I  trusted  to  the  honor  and  discretion 
of  the  Spanish  ministry  for  my  security,  in  case  my 
propositions  should  be  disapproved.  '  • 

"The  negotiation  having  commenced  in  this  way,  1 
expressed  the  desire  to  know  its  result  through  np  other 
channel.  This  disposition  of  my  mind  proceeded  from 
my  reliance  on  Mir6  and  Navarro,  and  from  the  opinion 
which  I  have  not  yet  relinquished,  that  this  afl^ir  may 
be  managed  through  them  in  such  a  way  as  entirely  to 
avoid  exciting  the  suspicions  of  Congress.  But  it  seems 
that  the  Cabinet  of  Madrid  has  deemed  proper  to  pursue 
the  ordinary  and  regular  course,  and  that  you  have  re- 
ceived powers  in  the  premises.  ITiis  makes  it  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  success  of  our  plans,  that  I  should 
open  a  correspondence  with  you,  and  I  flatter  myself 
that  these  circumstances  wiU  justify  the  step  which  I 
take,  in  the  eyes  of  my  dear  and  honorable  Mends  Don 
Estevan  Mir6  and  Don  Martin  Navarro,  because  you 
may  rest  assured  that,  for  no  human  consideration,  i 
would  run  the  risk  of  losing  their  friendship  or  good 
opinion. 

"  On  my  return  from  Louisiana,  I  went  through  Vir- 
ginia last  winter,  and  wrote  to  you  a  complimentary 
letter,  the  object  of  which  was  to  open  a  correspondence 
with  you.  But  it  was  intercepted;  hence  the  necessity 
of  my  going  into  these  details,  in  order  to  make  filHy 
known  to  you  the  individual  who  now  aspires  to  your 
confidence. 

"In  conclusion,  I  beg  leave  to  refer  myself  in  gener^ 
terms  to  my  friend.  Major  Dunn,  who  will  present  to  you 
VMious  authentic  documents  in  relation  to  your  plaii, 
and  which  it  would  be  imj)rudent  to  mention  in  writing. 
I  hope  that  you  will  not  blame  this  precaution  on  my 
part,  if  you  reflfect  on  the  fluctuation  and  mutilbility  of 


-*■ 


ynLKDsnosf^s  lstteb  to  gardoqul 


251 


hmnan  affairs ;  beoause,  if  the  Court  of  Spain,  as  the 
rumor  nms,  has  anfortanately  ceded  the  Floridas  and 
the  inland  of  New  Orleans  to  Great  Bi^tain,  a  new 
theatre  will  be  open  for  new  actors,  and  other  measures 
must  be  taken.  It  is  not  necessary*  to  suggest  to  a 
gentleman  of  your  eiq^erience  and  knowledge,  that  man, 
throi;^ht»ut  the  world,  is  governed  by  private  interest, 
however  variously  modified  it  may  be.  Some  men  are 
avaricious,  some  are  vain,  others  are  ambitions.  To  de- 
tect the  predominant  passion,  to  lay  hold  and  to  make 
the  most  of  it,  is  the  most  profound  secret  of  political 
science. 

"The  Major  will  commiinicate  to  you  what  we  have 
agreed  upon  in  relation  to  the  application  which  he  is  to 
lay  before  you.  He  will  tell  you  in  detail  the  measures 
which  1  have  taken  in  this  district,  the  effects  they  have 
produced,  and  the  present  temper  of  the  people,  and  if 
you  can  have  faith*  in  the  system  which  he  mil  develop 
to  you,  and  if  you  help  it  on  with  vigor,  I  pledge,  from 
to-day,  my  life,  fame,  and  fortune,  to  answer  for  the  suc- 
cess which  I  promise." 

Peter  Paulus,  of  whom  Wilkinson  speaks  in  his  letter 
of  the  14th  of  February,  had  anived  in  New  Orleans. 
He  had  "vith  him  thirty-four  persons,  and,  for  having 
procured  ^hem  to  emigrate,  he  obtained  as  a  reward 
$350  fi-om  Governor  Mir6.  He  offered  to  bring  to  Loui- 
siana three  thousand  families  on  certain  conditions,  amoiig 
which  one  of  the  piincipal  was,  that  the  king  of  Spain 
should  pay  aU  the,  expenses  incidental  to  their  removal, 


**  No  «s  oecewrio  sugtrir  &  on  oaballero  de  los  oonooimientos  j  exp6rien«i»  de 
V.  S.  que  d  genero  hum«no,  en  oualqaiera  parte,  se  gobieroa  por  aa  propio 
inter^  annqae  variamente  modifieado.  Unoe  wn  aordidos,  alganoa  Tanos,  otm 
ambioioso* ;  esooger,  tomar  y  saofr  venmaa  d«  }a  pasion  predomuiante  ee  lo  mias 
profiindp  de  la  ci^noia  politiea. 

f  T  «i  Y.  S.  paede  flwse  lU  abtemaqofrle  eajdieara  N^  apoyaf le  TigovoMunetttit, 
de^  liiegii  «0>pfJl9  n^  vida,  Unf^  jr  fwtwo^  para  n^q^nder  d«l  wieeao. 


252 


MIb6^8  DEALO08   WITH  PXTBB  PAUI.ITS. 


i 


and  that  the  trial  by  jury  be  allowed  to  the  new  coloimte. 
"  This,"  said  Mird,  "  I  have  positively  refoied,  because  it 
would  cost  millions  to  his  Majesty.  But  I  had  a  long 
conversation  with  Paulu8,f  in  which  I  explained  to  him 
the  advantages  which  the  Ohio  people  would  find  in 
establishing  themselves  in  the  province,  wherefore  those 
who  had  the  most  means  among  them  ought  immediately 
to  take  that  step,  because  they  would  infallibly,  in  a  few 
years,  reach  a  state  of  opulence.  I  endeavored  also  to 
convince  him,  that  no  monarchy  in  the  world  could  go 
to  the  immense  expense  of  maintaining  and  supporting 
the  ever  increasing  number  of  families  that  would  indu- 
bitably present  themselves,  if  they  were  granted  the 
assistance  which  was  solicited  for  them,  and  which  they 
were  given  to  understand  that  they  would  obtain.  I  re- 
marked to  him  that,  if,  without  any  aid,  the  stream  of 
emigration  continued  to  flow  so  abundantly  from  the 
Atlantic  states  to  this  side  of  the  Apalachian  mountains, 
the  emigrants  had  stronger  motives  to  rely  on  their  own 
resources  when  coming  to  this  province,  where  lands 
were  given  to  them  gratis,  and  where  the  industrious 
were  sure  to  become  prosperous  under  a  mild  govern- 
ment, which  would  afford  them  support  and  protection, 
and  where  they  would  enjoy  the  advantage  of  an  easy 
outl<    for  their  produce. 

"  This  Peter  Paulus  is  a  Dutchman  by  birth ;  he  ap- 
pears to  be  fifty  years  old;  his  face  seems  to  indicate 
that  he  is  an  honest  man,  and  his  language,  although 
dull  and  unpolished,  is  stamped  with  much  apparent  sin- 
cerity. The  families  he  proposes  to  bring  along  with 
him  are  Germans,  who  reside  a  considerable  distance 
above  Kentucky.* 

But  Paulus  replied,  that  he  had  been  induced  by 


*  iSktf*  despatch  ol  the  Ifiith  of  March,  1789.    f  Probably  in  PeniuylTsiiub 


MIBd^S  DB9PAT0E  TO  £0^  QOVBBKMXirr. 


258 


Gardoqai  an^  Ud  agents  to  hold  out  very  different  hopes 
to  the  emigrants,  and  that  if,  on  his  return  to  them,  he 
altered  his  language,  they  would  consider  him  as  an  im- 
postor. 

Regretting  the  imprudence  of  Gardoqui,  who  had 
allowed  his  zeal  to  incite  him  to  a  course  which  might 
be  fatal  to  his  Majesty's  interest,  and  on  which  he  com- 
mented at  length  in  one  of  his  despatches  to  his  govern- 
ment. Governor  Mir6  said  to  Paulus :  "  I  have  no  power 
to  send  any  emissary  to  promote  emigration  from  the 
United  States,  and  therefore  I  cannot  encourage  your 
pretensions,  nor  those  of  the  people  you  represent.  I  can 
only  receive  the  foreigners  who  may  come  spcnta- 
neously  and  of  their  own  free  wiD,  to  swear  themselves 
J\ie  vassals  of  his  Catholic  M^esty.  To  them  surveyed 
*ands  shall  be  granted  gratis,  in  proportion  to  the  laboi*^ 
ers  of  whom  each  family  may  consist.  The  smallest 
concession  shall  not  be  less  than  200  arpens — 400  to 
families  of  four  to  ten  laborers,  and  800  to  those  num- 
bering from  ten  to  fifteen  hands  or  more." 

Although  not  willing  to  pay  for  the  expenses  of  emi- 
gration on  so  large  a  scale,  Governor  Mir6  consented  to 
certain  disbursements,  in  order  to  increase  the  population 
of  Louisiana.  For  instance,  the  vessel,  the  Conception, 
having  arrived  from  Philadelphia,  with  178  emigrants, 
he  established  133  of  them  in  the  Feliciana  district  at 
the  cost  of  the  royal  trt  jsury.* 

On  the  lith  of  April,  he  forwarded  to  Madrid,  with 
his  comments,  WilMnson's  two  letters,  which  I  have 
qudtedj  and  the  documents  annexed  to  them.  In  that 
communication  he  represents,  that  he  shares  Wilkinson's 
opinion  that  the  independence  of  the  Western  people, 
under  the  protection  o^  and  in  close  alBuHoe  wiih,  Spain, 


!"«;■. 


*  IfirO's  4«ip»toli  of  t&«  16ih  of  IUnIi,  1789. 


254 


Mm6*S  DBSPATCIi     .O  HIB  QOrEBNMENT. 


[k 


would  be  more  to  the  interest  of  his  Majesty  than  their 
annexation  to  his  domains,  on  account  of  ^e  expenses 
and  responsibilities  which  such  an  acquisition  would 
entail  on  Spain,  and  also  on  account  of  the  jealousies  and 
opposition  which  it  would  elicit  from  foreign  powers. 
He  urgently  presses  the  cabinet  of  Madrid  to  send  him 
instructions  as  to  the  course  to  be  pursued  by  him,  in 
case  the  Western  people  should  declare  their  independ- 
ence and  send  delegates  to  him.  He  further  remarks 
that  ho  is  totally  unprepared  to  supply  them  with  the 
ammunition,  arms,  and  other  implements  of  which  they 
may  stand  in  need  to  resist  any  action  of  the  Federal 
Government,  should  it  attempt  to  coerce  them  into  sub- 
mission. 

"  In  the  paragraph  B.,"  said  he  to  the  Minister,  "  you^ 
will  find  an  account  of  the  bold  act  which  General  Wil- 
kinson has  vcLtured  upon,  in  presenting  his  first  memorial 
in  a  public  convention.  In  so  doipg,  he  has  so  com- 
pletely bound  himself,  that,  should  he  not  be  able  to 
obtain  the  separation  of  Kentucky  from  the  United 
States,  it  has  become  impossible  for  him  to  live  in  it, 
ttnkss  he  Tiaa  suppressed^  which  is  possible^  certain  pas- 
sages which  might  irtjure  him.  Nevertheless,  on  account 
of  the  opposition  made  by  Marshall  and  Muter  to  Wil-  ^ 
kinson^s  plan,  the  Convention  determined  that  new  me- 
qiorials  be  presented  to  Virginia  and  to  Congress,  to 
obtain  the  independence  of  Kentucky,  its  admission  into 
the  Union,  and  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi. 
On  these  two  first  questions,  I  disagree  with  Wilkinson 
as  to  their  solution,  and  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  inde- 
pendence of  these  people  from  Virginia  and  their  recep 
tion  into  the  Union  will  be  conceded  to  them,  and  that 
the  answer  of  Congress  on  this  subject  is  not  deceitful, 
because  the  right  of  Kentucky  to  what  she  claims  is 
incontestabje,  and  is  derived  from  the  articles  Of  confe- 


Itntb^S  INSTBUOnOKS  TO  WILKINSON. 


256 


deracy  on  which  the  United  States  established  their  first 
goveiTiment." 

Mir6  declared  that,  with  Wilkinson,  he.  thought  it 
was  a  stroke  of  bad  policy  on  the  part  of  the  Spanish 
government,  to  have  granted  to  the  inhabitants  of  Ken- 
tucky the  use  of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  although 
under  the  restriction  of  a  duty  of  fifteen  per  cent.,  be- 
cause, rather  than  being  deprived  altogether  of  that 
channel  for  the  exit  of  their  produce,  they  would  not 
have  hesitated  to  renounce  all  allegiance  to  Congress. 
He  informed  his  government  that  he  had  lately  written 
in  cyphgr  to  Wilkinson,  through  one  Jennings,  a  confi- 
dential agent,  that  emigration  to  Louisiana  was  to  .  be 
encouraged  by  all  means,  whilst,  at  the  same  time,  the 
other  plan  of  the  independence,  or  annexation  of  Ken- 
tucky, was  to  be  steadily  kept  in  mind.  "You  will 
render  a  great  service  to  the  king,"  he  wrote  to  Wilkin- 
son, "  if  you  induce  to  come  down  here  a  large  number 
of  families,  having  some  property  and  not  needing  pecu- 
niary assistance,  but  only  lands.  It  is  proper,  however, 
that  you  should  remain  in  that  district,  in  order  to  insist 
on  the  plan  of  an  alliance  with  Spain,  until  it  be  effected 
or  be  given  up ;  because,  according  to  the  answer  re- 
ceived from  the  Court,  you  are  now  our  agent,  and  I  am 
instructed  to  give  you  to  hope  that  the  king  will  rewind 
your  services  as  I  have  alrea(^  intimated  to  you."*  ' 

He  continues  saying,  that  Wilkinson  seems  averse  to 
this  mode  of  peopling  the  colony,  but  that  he,  Mir6, 
cannot  share  Wilkinson's  views  in  that  respect,  and  that 
the  emigrants  have  more  means,  and  are  of  a  better 
character,  than  Wilkinson  gives  them  credit  for.    Ho 


*  Pero  oonvime  ae  numtenga  V.  S.  en  ese  dintrito,  para  instar  sobre  el  prcjeoto 
ie  la  eonezioD,  lusta  que  se  rerifiqae,  4  deftvanesca;  pnes  qae  ya  segan  la  repu- 
•flta  de  la  Cktrte^  ^  Y.  &  niies<fY>  agant%  y  se  me  ordena  Ie  de  &  V.  S.  esperansM 
de  que  el  Bey  lo  reoompensart  eonio  ya  la  tengo  insinuado. 


266 


HE  BEOOMMBNDS  TO  BBWARD  WILEINSOIf. 


confirms  what  Wilkinson  relates  of  the  intrigues  of  the 
English  in  Kentucky,  and  dwells  on  the  service  rendcretl 
by  Wilkinson,  in  driving  avay  C61onel  Connelly  with  so 
much  diplomatic  skill  and  by  a  weU-devised  8ubterfug<^. 
He  recommends  that  the  five  thousand  dollars  which 
Wilkinson  declared  having  spent  for  the  benefit  of  Spain 
be  refunded  to  him,  and  that  he  be  further  intinisted 
with  the  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  which  he 
asked  for,  to  corrupt  Marshall  and  Muter. 

In  the  mean  time,  Wilkinson's  launches  had  arrived  in 
New  Orleans,  and,  in  that  same  despatch  of  the  11th  of 
April,  Mird  informed  the  Spanish  government  that  he 
had  bought  from  the  General,  for  the  account  of  the 
royal  treasury,  235,000  pounds  of  tobacco,  for  which 
transaction  he  begged  the  approbation  of  his  Majesty, 
"  on  the  ground  that  it  was  important  to  keep  the 
General  contented."  * 

*  Mediaat«  &  lo  mucha  qu»  importa  el  tener  cont«nto  si  dioho  Brigadier. 


51  • 


CHAPTER  V. 


mib6*s  administbation. 


1789  to  1791. 


"We  have  seen  the  part  which  Wilkinson  and  othere 
were  acting  in  Kentucky,  in  favor  of  Spain.  But  in  the 
western  settlements  of  North  Carolina  a  strong  party 
had  also  sprung  up,  which  was  operating  with  equal 
force,  in  the  same  direction  and  under  the  same  influence. 

In  1786,  the  western  portion  of  North  Carolina, 
which  was  called  the  Washington  district,  had  declared 
itself  independent,  and  had  constituted  itself  into  the 
State  of  Prankland,  which  organized  its  government, 
and  elected  Colonel  John  Sevier  as  its  first  Governor. 
But  Congress  interfered  in  favor  of  North  Carolina,  the 
authority  of  which  was  maintained,  and  the  new  State  of 
Frankland  terminated  its  brief  career  in  1787.  This  first 
attempt  in  the  West  to  throw  off  openly  the  allegiance 
due  to  the  parent  State  had  roused  intense  excitement 
for  and  against  it,  and  the  secessionists,  still  persevering 
in  their  former  designs,  were  watching  for  the  opportu- 
nity to  renew  them.  Thus,  on  the  12th  of  September, 
1788,  ex-governor  John  Sevier  had  written  to  Gardoqui,* 
to  inform  hiai  that  the  inhabitants  of  Frankland  were 
uncmvmmis  m  their  vehement  desire  to  form  (m  aUicmoe 
a/nd  trmty  of  oommerGe  with  Sfpam^  and  put  themaehes 
Wider  her  prot^tion.  Wherefore,  he  begged  for  ammu- 
nition, money,  and  whatever  other  assistance  Mir6  could 

*  A  oopy  of  which  letter  vm  immediately  forwarded  by  Gardoqui  to  BIir6. 

17  h- 


!(#' 


i^58       QOVEBNOR  Sevier's  letter  to  gardoqui. 

gi'ant,  to  aid  the  execution  of  the  contemplated  separa- 
tion from  North  Carolina,  pledging  the  faith  of  the  State 
of  Frankland  for  the  payment  of  whatever  sums  Spain 
might  advance,  and  whatever  expenses  she  might  incur, 
in  an  enterprise  which  would  secure  to  her  such  durable 
and  important  results.  "  Before  concluding  this  commu- 
nication," said  Sevier,  "  it  is  necessary  that  I  should  men- 
tion that  there  cannot  be  a  moment  more  opportune 
than  the  present,  to  carry  our  plan  into  execution.  North 
Carolina  has  refused  to  accept  the  new  constitution  pro- 
posed for  the  confederacy,  and  therefore  a  considerable 
time  will  elapse  before  she  becomes  a  member  of  the 
Union,  if  that  event  ever  happen." 

The  settlers  on  the  Cumberland  river,  who  were  also 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  North  Carolina,  were  deeply 
interested  in  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  there- 
fore were  equally  influenced  by  the  motives  which  were 
operating  so  powerfully  on  the  peo^jle  of  Kentucky  and 
other  portions  of  the  West.  The^name  of  Miro  given  to 
a  district  which  they  had  lately  formed,  shows  which 
way  their  partiality  was  leaning  at  that  time. 

Doctor  James  White  was  one  of  the  most  active  agents 
employed,  by  Gardoqui  to  operate  on  the  Western  people, 
and  this  individual  had  come  to  Louisiana  to  enter  into 
an  understanding  with  Miro  on  the  execution  of  the 
mission  with  which  he  had  been  intrusted.  In  a 
communication  which  he  addressed  to  Mir6,  on  the  18th 
of  April,  1789,  he  said^  "  With  regard  to  Frankland, 
Don  Diego  Gardoqui  gave  me  letters  for  the  chief  men 
of  that  district,  with  instructions  to  assure  them  that,  if 
they  wished  to  put  themselves  under  the  protection  of 
Spain  and  favor  her  interests,  they  should  be  protected 
in  their  civil  and  political  government,  in  the  form  and 
manner  most  agreeable  to  them,  on  the  following  con- 
ditions: 


:J^ 


DE.  JAMES  white's   LETTER  TO   SHB^ 


259 


"  1'^ — ^It  should  be  absolutely  ii«etBsa!y,  »ot  only  in 
ord6r  to  hold  any  office,  but  also  any  land  in  Frwikland, 
that  an  oath  of  allegiafioe  be  taken  to  his  Majesty,  the 
object  and  purport  of  which  should  be  to  defend  his 
government  and  faithful  vassals  on  aU  occasions,  and 
against  all  his  enemies,  whoever  they  might  be.  2" — 
That  the  inhabitants  of  that  district  should  renounce  all 
submission  or  allegiance  whatever  to  any  other  Sove- 
reign or  power.  They  have  eagerly  accepted  these  con- 
ditions, and  the  Spanish  minister  has  referred  me  to 
your  favor,  patronage  and  assistance  to  facilitate  my 
operations.  "With  regard  to  Cumberland,  what  I  have 
said  of  Frankland  applies  to  it  with  equal  force  and 
truth." 

On  the  22d  of  the  same  month,  White  again  wrote  to 
Mir6,  saying:  "M.  Gardoqui  has  informed  me  that,* 
considering  I  was  in  the  service  of  Spain,  my  expenses 
would  be  paid  out  of  the  royal  treasury."  He  concludes 
Avith  asking  about  four  hundred  dollars,f  to  facilitate  his 
dealing  decently  and  commodiously  with  those  he  was 
to  influence.    This  sum  was  immediately  granted. 

Miro,  in  answer  J  to  White's  application,  delivered  to 
him  a  paper  begittnin : ;  nth  this  preamble :  "  Considering 
the  representation  of  James  White  in  favor  of  the  dis- 
tricts of  Frankland  and  Miro,  formerly  Cumberland,  in 
whose  welfare  b<^  has  manifested  much  interest,  I  autho^^ 
ize  him  to  make  known  what  his  Catholic  Majesty,  moved 
by  no  other  motive  than  that  of  generosity,  is  disposed 
to  do  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  districts."  This 
document  contained  an  enumeration  of  the  favors  and 
advantages  to  be  granted  to  such  as  weuld  emigrate  to 

*  M.  Gardoq;di  me  aseg^rd  que  sieado  mi  serricio  oonezo  oon  el  de  S.  M.  «u 
tesoro  me  satisfari^  Iob  gastos. 

f  Reiqairird  como  qnatro  d«nt09  p<i80s  pat^  faoilitsmie  el  tnd«r  oon  cqoello* 
gentes  comoda  y  decentemcnte. 

X  Mir6's  commnnicatioa  to  White,  on  the  20th  of  AprC,  1789.     - 


J?^; 


260 


hire's  AJJSWEB. 


Pi; 


gi 


111  ' 


Kh    * 


m^'-''- 


li^l 


Louisiana,  and  of  |)le  conditions  annexed  to  tliem.  If 
fui-tlier  conceded  to  the  people  of  Frankland  and  Giilh- 
berland  the  privilege  to  carry  their  produce  down  the 
Mississippi  to  the  market  of  New  Orleans,  provided  they 
should  pay  a  per  centage  of  15  per  cent.,  which  Mird 
reyef  ved  himself  the  right  of  reducing  as  he  might  please, 
on  behalf  of  such  men  of  influence  among  them  as  might 
solicH  that  favor  and  be  made  known  to  him  by  White. 

"  But,'  said  he,  "  with  regard  to  the  proposition  of  that 
gentleman  (James  White)  in  relation  to  the  wish  ex- 
pressed by  the  inhabitants  of  Cumberland  and  Frank- 
land  to  connect  themselves  with  Spain  after  cheir  sepa- 
ration from  the  United  States,  I  can  neither  assist,  nor 
foment  such  a  scheme,  on  account  of  the  good  harmony 
which  eidsts  between  his  Catholic  Majesty  and  the  United 
States.  Nevertheless,  it  is  for  the  inhabitants  of  the 
aforesaid  districts  to  seek  after  what  suits  them  b:^  it,  and, 
should  they  succeed  in  securing  for  themselves  a  complete 
independence  from  the  United  States,  then  his  Majesty 
would  gra  "■  them,  out  of  his  royal  beneficence,  all  the 
favor,  ?  ilp,  and  advantages  which  might  be  adapted  to 
their  t.oudition,  and  compatible  with  the  interests  of  the 
Spani&i  monarchy."  This  passage  is  another,  proof  of 
the  aversion  which  Miro  felt,  either  from  jealousy,  or 
from  prudence,  and  perhaps  from  both,  to  permit  Gardo- 
qui  and  his  agents  to  take  any  share  in  the  intriguep 
which,  with  Wilkinson,  he  was  carrying  on,  to  detach 
the  Great  West  from  the  rest  of  the  Union. 

On  the  28d,  he  wrote  to  the  General :  "l^Iy  esteemed 
friend — ^I  thought  of  writing  to  you  at  full  length  through 
Major  Dunn,  but  his  return  having  taken  place  sooner 
than  I  expected,  I  could  not  write  as  I  wished,  for  want 
of  time ;  because,  although  working  from  seven  in  the 
morning  until  dinner  time,  and  from  five  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  until  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  I  cannot  discharge 


DISTBIOTS  OF  MIr5  AIH)   FRANKLAND. 


261 


all  the  official  duties  which  have  accumulated  on  my 
hands,  <fec."*  In  this  letter,  he  earnestly  recomimeni 
Wilkinson  t^  favor  emigi'ation,  particularly  of  families 
having  good  morals  and  some  property.  "Notwith- 
standing the  press  of  time,"  says  he,  "  I  must  communi- 
cate to  you  a  now  circumstance  in  our  affairs,  but  it  is 
necessary  that  your  lips  be  for  ever  sealed  as  to  the 
names  of  the  individuals  I  shall  make  known  to  you,  in 
order  that  the  confidence  I  thus  repose  in  you  shall  never" 
turn  out  to  be  prejudicial  to  them,  and  at  the  same  time 
I  assure  you,  most  positively,  that  I  have  not  unfolded 
to  anybody  otir  relations,  nor  have  I  ever  mentioned  you, 
although  I  was  compelled  to  speak  of  the  state  of  things 
in  Kentucky. 

"Don  Dieg-o  Gardoqui  drew  to  the  interests  of  Spain 
James  White,  a  member  of  Congress,  who  has  posses- 
sions in  the  district  of  Miro,  formerly  Cumberland,  and 
sent  him  to  the  State  of  Frankland,  in  order  to  incite  its 
inhabitants  to  separate  themselves  from  the  United  States 
and  to  form  au  alliance  with  us.  Having  returned  to 
New  York,  he  informed  Gardoqui  that  the  affair  was 
progressing  favorably,  that  the  principal  inhabitants 
were  ripe  for  a  separation,  and  that,  after  having  effected 
it,  they  would  swear  allegiance  to  Spain,  obligating  them- 
selves to  form  no  alliance  or  connection  whatever  with 
any  other  power,  and  to  take  up  arms  for  the  defence  of 
the  province  of  Louisiana  from  whatever  quarter  be  the 
attack,  and  only  reserving  the  privilege  of  governing 
themselves." 

Miro  then  informed  Wilkinson  that  he  had  authorized 
White  to  proceed  immediately  to  the  districts  of  Mirb 
and  Frankland,  in  order  to  communicate  to  the  inhabit- 
ants the  document  which  I  have  already  quoted. 

*  He  hod  then  to  fulfil  the  iliujctions  both  of  Oovernor  and  Intendant  united 
in  one  person. 


'5  n^fJ^i 


it 


I 


•«tj:!- 


262 


HIr5   A]!fD   OENEBAL  DAIOEI.  BHITH. 


" I  have  just  received,"  coutinued  he,  "two  letters,  one 
from  Brigadier  General  Daniel  Smith,  d^ted  on  the  4th 
of  March,  and  the  other  from  Colonel  James  Robertson, 
with  date  of  the  11th  of  January,  both  written  from  the 
district  of  Mird.  The  first  letter  was  cawied  by  a  militia 
officer,  named  Fagot,  a  confidential  agent  of  General 
Smith,  and  informed  me  that  the  inhabitants  of  Cupi- 
berland,  or  Mir6,  would,  in  September,  send  delegates 
to  North  Carolina,  in  order  to  solicit  from  the  legislatui'e 
of  that  State  an  act  of  separation,  and  that,  as  soon  as 
this  should  be  obtained,  other  delegates  would  be  sent 
from  Cumberland  to  New  Orleans  with  the  object  of 
placing  that  territory  uuder  the  domination  of  his  Ma- 
jesty* 

"  I  have  replied  to  both  in  general  terms,  refernng 
them  to  my  answer  to  White,  who  carries  my  letters  to 
these  gentlemen. 

"  You  see,  by  the  tone  of  this  confidential  communica- 
tion, that  I  still  continue  to  hold  you  as  the  principal 
actor  in  our  favor,  and  therefore  I  hope  that,  gathering 
all  the  information  which  you  may  deem  necessary,  you 
will  give  me  your  ojMuion  on  this  affair,  and  all  the  ex- 
planations which  may  throw  light  on  it,  in  order  that  I 
may  shape  my  course  accordingly.  I  wish  also  to  hear 
what  you  have  to  say  as  to  the  importance  of  those  dis- 
tricts, which  I  do  not  think  of  much  consequence,  al- 
though I  could  not  help  acting  as  I  have,  the  said  White 
having  been  sent  to  me  by  Don  Diego  Gardoqui.  It  is 
proper  mat  you  be  made  acquainted  with  all  this  affair, 
in  case  it  should  be  deemed  useful  to  induce  those  afore- 
mentioned districts  to  act  in  concert  with  Kentucky, 
when  that  province  shall  have  achieved  her  separation 
from  the  United  States. 

*  Se  nombrardn  otroa  dirigidoe  d  esta  capital  cob  el  objeto  de  entrogarae  b^o 
el  dominio  de  S.  M. 


>yr- 


infio 


OABBOQirr  AT  TARIANOE. 


26d 


"  I  atjl  waiting  with  the  gi^catest  anxiety  for  your  let- 
tiars,  in  order  to  know  wliat  has  oconrredrsince  yonr  last, 
and  6bd  grant  that  I  may,  in  a  short  time,  embrace  yon 
as  ^he  delegate  from  that  State.  Command  yonr  most 
aflfeetionate  friend,  <fec." 

The  next  day,  Mir6  wrote  to  General  Daniel  Smith  in 
vagu'e  terms,  referring  him  for  particulars  to  White. 
"  The  giving  of  my  name  to  your  district,"  said  he,  "  has 
caused  me  much  satisfaction,  and  I  feel  myself  highly 
honored  by  that  compliment.  It  increases  my  desire  to 
contribute  to  the  development  of  the  resources  of  that 
province  and  the  prosperity  of  its  inhabitants,  &c.,  &c. 

"  I  am  extremely  flattered  at  your  proposition  to  enter 
into  a  correspondence  with  me,  and  I  hope  that  it  will 
afford  rae  the  opportunity  of  being  agi'eeable  to  you." 

On  the  30th  of  Apiil,  Governor  Miro  sent  to  Antonio 
Vald^s,  one  of  the  Spanish  ministers,  a  detailed  account 
of  aU  that  I  have  related,  and  spoke  rather  slightingly 
of  the  pretended  services  rendered  by  White  under  the 
direction  of  Gardoqui.  "  The  inhabitants  of  Frankland," 
said  he,  "  had  already  thrown  off  the  mask  before  White's 
arrival  among  them,  and  would  most  certainly,  as  is 
proved  by  John  Sevier's  letters,  have  had  recourse  to  me, 
without  the  interference  of  the  doctor.  In  that  same 
State  of  Frankland,  opinions  are  divided  in  such  a  way, 
that  part  of  the  inhabitants  (I  do  not  know  whether  it 
is  the  majority)  wish  to  remain  subjected  to  Congress 
and  to  North  Carolina.  Therefore  I  consider  that,  to 
meddle  with  them,  cannot  be  of  much  advMitage  to  us. 
Nevertheless,  we  must  not  reject  their  advances. 

"The  answer  which  I  have  given  to  White,  and  which 
he  is  to  show  to  the  pririicipal  men  of  Miro  and  Frank- 
land, is  so  framed,  that,  should  it  miscarry,  it  wiU  affc»'d 
no  cause  of  complaint  to  the  United  States ;  but  verfedUly, 
I  have  energetically  recommended  to  him  to  use  i^ 


-m 


m 


:S- 


)\~'. 


•  1 

■:>V 

^ 

.'*'  * 

V      <•  r» 

'  X^\*  i 

* 

•  :^.- 

264 


MIB^   BEBUKE3   OOLOIOIL  HOBOAN. 


most  strenuotis^efForts  to  pwcure  the  desired  separation." 
Mir6  concludes  with  asking  for  the  approbation  of  his 
Majesty  in  relation  to  all  he  had  done,  and  urgently 
solicits  instructions  as  to  his  course  of  action,  on  the 
emergency  of  the  arrival  of  delegates  frowi  the  discon- 
tented districts. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  Mir6  addressed  to  his  govern- 
ment a  long  despatch,  in  which  he  commented  on  the 
impolicy  of  the  conditions  and  extent  of  the  concession 
of  land  made  by  Gardoqui  to  Colonel  Morgan,  a  little 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio.  One  of  the  conditions 
was,  that  the  emigrants  to  that  region  should  have  the 
right  of  self-government.  Mir6  called  the  attention  of 
the  cabinet  of  Madrid  to  the  danger  of  thus  having  an 
imperium  in  irrvperio^  a  government  within  a  government, 
and  pointed  out  the  results  which  would  inevitably  flow 
from  such  a  state  of  things.  "Experience  has  demon- 
strated," sai(1  he,  "that,  in  this  province,  large  conces- 
sicMis  of  land  to  an  individual  have  never  produced  the 
desired  effect  of  procuring  population,"  <fec.  &c.  He 
then  goes  on  complaining  of  the  ambiguity  with  which 
Gardoqui  had  written  to  him  on  the  circumstances 
attending  the  plan  of  colonization  entertained  by  Colonel 
Morgan,  who  had  come  to  New  Orleans  to  carry  it  into 
execution,  with  the  expected  approbation  and  concur- 
rence of  the  Governor  of  Louisiana. 

Three  days  after  (on  the  23d  of  May),  Mii'6  wrote  to 
Morgan,  that  great  had  been  his  suiprise,  on  reading  the 
papers  submitted  to  him ;  that  the  extent  of  territory 
conceded  was  much  larger,  and  that  the  favors  and 
privileges  attached  to  the  grant  wore  much  more  exor- 
bitant, than  he  had  been  informed.  He  declared  them 
completely  inadmissible,  and  enumerated  the  conditions 
t>n  which  he,  Miro,  would  allow  Morgan  to  establish  his 
contemplated  colony.    "You  see,"  said  he,  "how  diflfer- 


f(  fc 


\ti' 


Vmb  VKBXIKIS  COLONEL  MOBOAN. 


26.') 


ent  they  are  from  th68&  you  have  proposed,  and,  truly, 
it  is  to  me  a  matter  of  deep  regret,  because,  having  been 
ittade  acquainted  with  the  fine  qualities  for  which  you 
ate  distinguished,  I  was  awaiting  your  arrival  with  im- 
patience,  and  with  the  hope  of  being  able  to  approve 
your  plan.  I  am  therefore  much  disappointed  at  being 
obliged  to  resist  its  execution,  because  it  would  be  ex- 
tremely prejudicial  to  the  welfare  and  interest  of  the 
kingdom  to  permit  the  establishment  of  a  republic  within 
its  domains;  for  as  such  I  consider  the  government 
which  you  have  conceived,  although  retaining  some 
shadow  of  submission  to  his  Majesty. 

"  I  also  infinitely  regret,  that  you  have  gone  so  far  as 
t6  cause  to  be  circulated  through  the  whole  population 
of  the  Ohio  and  Kentucky  districts  the  report  that  so 
extensive  a  territory  had  been  granted  to  you,  and  that| 
under  the  impression  that  such  a  grant  was  final  and 
valid,  you  have  drawn  the  plan  of  a  city,  and  given  it  a 
name  (which  is  the  exercise  of  a  power  appertaining  to 
the  sovereign  alone),  and,  what  is  worse,  that  you  have 
called  it  our  otty^  in  your  letter  to  certain  gentlemen  at 
Fort  Pitt,  whilst  Don  Diego  Gardoqui  authorized  you  to 
do  no  more  than  survey  the  lands.  How  wide  a  differ- 
ence is  there  between  what  you  did  and  what  you  had 
a  right  to  do !"  Assuming,  however,  %  gentler  tone, 
Miro  told  Morgan  that  he  attributed  the  maprudenoe  of 
his  acts  to  an  excess  of  zeal  to  serve  the  King ;  that  he 
authoiized  him,  should  he  be  disposed  to  continue  his 
services  to  his  Majesty,  to  indupe  as  many  families  as 
possible  to  come  and  settle  in  Louisiana,  and  particularly 
in  the  Natchez  district,  but  only  under  the  conditions 
that  he  had  made  known  to  him ;  and  that,  should  h% 
Morgan,  be  successful  in  that  operation,  the  king  would 
reward  him  in  a  befitting  manner.  Mir6  further  pro- 
mised him  a  iconeession  of  one  thouaimd  acres  of  land  for 


ISS.S'.'^il 


^i'f^-i. 


»  *.. 


It'  % 


266 


COLONEL  MOUQAN's  APOI.OGT. 


hiiAself)  and  the  same  niiantity  for  every  one  of  his  song.' 
Moirgan  was  also  infonr^e  J.  that  a  fort  would  be  constract- 
ed  by  the  Spaniards  at  the  place  which  he  had  chosen 
for  the  town  of  New  Madrid,  that  a  detachment  of  sol- 
diers would  soon  be  sent  there,  and  that  its  commander 
wotdd  be  instructed  to  receive  favorably  all  the  emi- 
grants that  should  present  themselves. 

The  next  day,  Morgan  sent  to  Mir6  a  reply,  in  which 
he  apologized  for  the  course  he  had  pursued.  He  said 
that,  if  he  had  erred,  it  was  with  the  best  intentions  and 
from  sheer  ignorance,  and  he  thanked  the  Governor  for 
attributing'  what  he  had  done  to  its  true  motive — -an 
excessive  /eal  to  serve  his  Majesty.  "4is  I  have  always 
kept  up  the  character  of  a  man  of  honor,"  said  he,  "  I 
am  sure  y^u  will  remain  convinced  that  I  shall  never 
act,  knowingly,  in  violation  of  the  laws  and  will  of  his 
Majesty. 

"  Among  the  inducements  which  ^Thave  to  leave  my 
native  country,  must  be  ranked  the  desire  of  increasing 
my  fortune,  and  establishing  my  family  in  peace,  under 
a  safe  and  seciire  government.  If  you  have  occasionally 
read  the  acts  of  Congress,  you  may  have  seen  that  my 
father-in-law  Baynton,  myself  and  my  partners  were 
unjustly  dispossessed  by  the  State  of  Virginia  of  the 
lai'gest  territo^al  estate  within  its  limit/S,  and  that  it 
wag.  not  in  the  power  of  Congress  to  protect  us,  although 
that  hcmorable  body  manifested  the  best  disposition  to 
do  so.  These  eircumstances,  and  the  wish  to  recommend 
my»3lf  to  the  kind  notice  of  the  King,  prompted  me  to 
my  last  undertaking,  and  I  am  now  disposed  to  accept 
the  conditions  which  you  do  me  the  honor  of  proposing, 
under  the  hope  of  acquiring  one  day  the  favor  of  his- 
MaJBSty."-       '  i-'  -:-^-''' 

On  the  12th 'OfJune^  Mir6  informed  Ms  govem*iir»t> 
of  all  his  trimsaetions,  aind  observed'  that/  had  ^ he  acqp- 


SUBVEVOB  OBlTEItAL  THOMAS  UUTOQINS. 


267 


includinpr 
Hwtchii 
pher,  wi 
of  tbis  tt 


U( 


eaced  iu  Morgan's  plan  of  oolonisation,  an  independent 
republic  would  soon  have  been  formed  in  Louisiana  by 
the  new  settlers,  and  the  provinces  of  New  Spain 
endangered.  **  On  such  conditions,"  said  he,  "  I  would 
myi^elt'  undertake  to  depopulate  the  greater  part  of  the 
United  States,  and  draw  all  their  citizens  to  Lvr  .  a^ 
hole  Congress  itself.  Already  ha  i  ixn.iJAj 
«turveyor-general  and  princip  i'  gtugra- 
Janiel  Clark,  a  merchant  and  resident 
,:^iug  to  be  informed  whether  Morgan's 
proposition's  were  accepted  by  me,  because,  disregarding 
the  office  and  the  salary  he  now  enjoys,  he  would 
become  the  subject  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  being  under 
the  impression,  as  he  declares,  that  New  Jersey,  with  the 
districts  of  Fort  Pitt  and  of  Kentucky,  would  be 
deprived  by  emigration  of  their  best  inhabitants. 

"The  circumstance  of  their  governirg  themselves, 
whilst  the  King  should  pay  their  magistrates,  would 
attract  here  a  prodigious  multitude  of  people,  but  they 
would  never  imbibe  any  affection  for  our  government, 
or  for  Spanish  customs,  and,  on  the  slightest  dispute  in 
relation  to  the  junsdiction  exercised  over  them  by, the 
Governor  of  Louisiana,  they  would  declare  themselves 
independent,  and,  what  is  worse,  having  the  free  use  of 
their  respective  religions,  they  never  would  become 


catholics. 


* 


* 
* 


* 


"  As  it  is  probable  that,  towards  the  end  of  the  year, 
.'/here  shall  arrive  a  considerable  number  of  emigrants 
at  the  projected  establishment  of  New  Madrid,  and,  as 
it  might  be  prejudicial  to  allow  them;  to  settle  there  by 
themselves,  without  any  control^  and  in  order  to^dQ 
away  with  th*»  idea  which  they  may  have  of  goTerning 
themselves,  I  have  resolved  to  construct  a  fort  at  thiat 
place,  so  that  a  multitude  of  newHDomers  be  not;  abanr 


•^ 


■^» 


N 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


.**> 


^^ 


1.0 


I.I 


■^  lU    12.2 

!!f  144   ■" 


lit 
u 


..  .                t 

1-25  III  U.  Ill  1.6 

^ — 

6"     

► 

HiotogFaphic 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


4s 


^^^ 


23  WBT  MAIN  STtHT 

WnSTni,N.Y.  145M 

(71*)t73-4S03 


<e 


268 


FIEBBE  ^OUOHEB  ASH  NEW  HADBID. 


doned  to  their  own  caprice  and  their  own  resonrcea, 
without  protection  tuid  withe  ut  the  administration  of 
justice" 

lin  conformity  with  the  intention  mamfested  in  this 
letter,  Governor  Miro,  in  the  month  of  July,  sent  Kerre 
Foucher,  a  lieutenant  of  the  regiment  of  Louisiana,  with 
two  sergeants,  two  corporals  and  thirty  soldiers,  to  build . 
a  fort  at  New  Madrid,  and  to  take  the  civil  and  militaiy' 
command  of  that  district.  His  instructions  were  Jo 
govern  those  new  colonists  in  sudk  a  wa/y  as  to  make 
them  feel  thcU  they  had  founH,  arrumg  the  Spaniards  ^ 
state  of  ease  and  contort  of  which  they  were  in  quest;, 

Mir6's  diplomacy  and  administration  of  Louisiana  h^d, 
been  thought  worthy  of  a  reward,  and  in  the. month  bf 
May,  he  had  been  informed  that  he  had  been  promoted 
to  the  grade  of  brigadier-general.  He  had  immediately 
returned  his  thanks  for  that  favor,  and,  in  that  despatch, 
commenting  on  the  military  resources  of  the  colony,  he 
had  observed  that  the  regiment  of  Louisiana,  which 
ought  to  have  been  two  thousand  strong  according  to 
the  royal  ordinance,  did  not  muster  more  than  1,258 
men. 

In  the  month  of  July,  he  comm^nicated  to  his  govern- 
ment ceii;ain  propositions  made  by  Colonel  Morgan  for 
the  cultivation  of  flax  and  hemp,  and  he  recommended 
that  the  whole  quantity  which  Morgan  should  be  able 
to  raise  be  purchased  on  account  of  the  royal  treasury. 
He  also  sent  at  the  same  time  a  memorial  from  William 
Butler,  in  which  this  gentleman  proposed  to  conduct  to 
Iiouisiana  forty-six  families  of  emigrants,  well  provided 
for,  On  condition  that  he  be  permitted  to  import  one 
Itundred  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  merchandise.    , 

In  the  beginning  of  this  year,  1789,  Louifflana  had 
learned  that  she  had  passed  under  the  sceptre  of  another 
monarch.    The  benevolent  and  wise  Charles  HI.  l)ad 


#■ 


t& 


tOB  BOLT  TsqiomtnoK* 

died  on  th^  14tli  of  Debcmber^  1788,  and  liad  been  suc- 
ceeded %  His  Soil  Charles  r\r.  On  the  7t^  of  May,  the 
usnal  funeral  rites  were  performed  in  New  Orleaiis  in 
honor  of  depairted  royalty,  with  as  mnch  pomp  and 
solemnity  as  the  finances  c^  the  colony  conld  afford. 
On  the  8th,  the  conventional  grief  of  the  preceding  day 
was  forgotten,  and  the  whole  city  wore  an  aspect  of  joy 
eqnally  as  sincere.  The  new  Sovereign  was  proclaimed 
in  due  form,  amidst  repeated  discharges  of  artillery  and 
niusketry  ;  the  ships  in  the  harbor  paraded  their  gayest 
colors ;  a  great  review  cf  the  troops  took  place,  with  the 
ordinaiy  enlivening  music  of  military  instruments ;  the 
atrthorities  dined  in  state,  and  toasted  the  new  King's 
health ;  the  people,  to  whom  theatrical  exhibitions  were 
given  at  the  cost  of  thiS  government,  shouted  to  the  top 
df  their  lungs,  and  the  whole  city  was  illuminated  at 
night.  Never  was  rejoicing  more  ill-timed,  since  ,the 
man  who  had  ascended  the  throne,  and  to  whose  care 
were  to  be  committed  the  destini^  of  one  of  ih^  most 
extensive  and  glorious  kingdoms  of  the  world,  was  per- 
haps one  of  the  weakest  in  intellect  among  his  flellow 
beings. 

It  appeal's  that,  soon  after  the  death  of  Charles  3IL, 
who  wasibr  from  being  a  bigoted  king,  an  attempt  was 
made  to  introduce  the  much  dreaded  tribunal  of  the 
Inquisition  into  the  colony.  The  reverend  Capuchin, 
Antonio  de  SedeUa,  who  had  lately  arrived  in  the  pro- 
vince; wrote  to  the  Governor  to  inform  him  that  he^  the 
holy  father,  had  been  appointed  Commissfgpy  of  the  In- 
quisition; that  in  a  letter  of  the  5th  of  December  last, 
£rom  the  proper  authority,  this  int^igence  had  be^n 
commBnieated  to  Mm,  and  that  he  had  been  requfsted 
to  discliarge  his  functions  with  the  mopt  ^xact  fidelity 
and  zeal,  and  m  <;^onforn^y  m^  the  royal  will,  v^  Where- 
fore, affcer  having  xnad^  his  investigatioiiB  with  the 


# 


2T0 


TATfmsniM<mo  tm  s^ella. 


U    VI 


'>m  I 


utmost  secrecy  and  precaution,*  he  notified  Mii^  tliftt^  lU 
order  to  carry,  as  he  was  commaoided,  his  ittstmctiotis 
into  perfect  execution  in  all  their  parts,  he  might  soon, 
at  some  late  hour  of  the  nighty  deem  it  nfecesiaary  t«> 
require  some  guards   o  assist  him  in  his  opemtions/  ■ 

Ndt  niany  hours  had  elapsed  since  the  rec^tibn  of 
this  communication  by  the  Governor,  when  night  oame^ 
and  the  representative  of  the  Holy  Inquisition  was 
quietly  reposinj^  in  bed,  when  he  was  roused  fifdm  his 
sleep  by  a  heavy  knocking.  He  started  up,  and,  open- 
ing his  door,  saw  standing  before  him  an  officer  and  a 
file  of  grenadiers.  Thinking  that  they  had  come  to 
obey  his  commands,  in  consequence  of'  his  letter  to  the 
Governor,  he  said:  "My  friisnds,  I  thank  you  tod  his 
Excellency  for  the  readiness  of  this  compliance  with  my 
request.  But  I  ha^fe  now  no  use  for  your  services,  and  you 
shall  be  warned  in  time  when  you  are  wanted.  Retire 
then,  with  the  blessing  of  God."  Great  was  the  stupe- 
faction of  the  Friar  when  he  was  told  that  he  was  under 
aifest.  '^  What  I"  exclaimed  he,  "wfll  you  dare  lay  your 
hands  on  a  Commissary  of  the  Holy  Inquisition  ?"—"  1 
dare  obey  orders,"  replied  the  undaunted  officer,  and  the 
Reverend  Father  Antonio  de  SedeUa  was  instantly 
carried  on  board  of  a  vessel^  ^  h  sailed  the  next  day 
for  Oadi&  ? 

Rendering  an  account  of  this  inMdent -iio  one  of  the 
nieiinbers  of  the  Cabinet  of  Madrid,  Governor  Mir<)  said 
in  a  despatch  of  th^  5d  of  June  :t  "When!  read  the 
communication  of  that  Capuchin,  I  shuddered.  His  Mfir 
jesty  has  ordered  me  to  foster  the  increase  of  popullt- 
tibh  in  this  province,  and  to  admit  in  it  all  those' that 
would;  emirate  ^ft'oni  the  banks  of  those  i?ivierB%hfe3i 
enapty  themselves  into  the  OB^.     This  c^nrse  was 


f  Bigik>  J  eantsl*. 

f  M  leer  el  ofioio  del  dioho  oapiiohino  me  estremeol—Mirb's  Despatch. 


TRV  eiUfUSDRAL  W  lOEW^  (MUCOBAirB. 


mi 


^eoomn^nci^  by  me,  for  the  potrerM  reasons  which  I 
have  given  in  confidential  despatches  to  the  most  excel- 
l@n|  &on  Antonio  Yald^  and  which  yoar  Excellency 
must,  have  seen  among  the  papers  kid  bsfore  the  Su- 
preme Ouncil  of  State*  ^Hiis  emigration  tras  t<$  be 
encooraged  under  the  pledge^  that  the  ntfw  colonists 
i^^xuld  not  be  molested  in  matters  of  religion,  provided 
ihere  should  be  no  other  public  mode  of  won^hip  than 
the  Catholic,  The  mere  name  of  the  Inquisition  uttered 
in  New  Orleans  woidd  be  snf&iient^  not  only  to  ipheck 
immigration,  which  is  successfdly  prOgredsing,  but  would 
also  be  capable  of  driving  avay  those  who  have  recently 
come,  and  I  even  fear  that^  in  spite  of  my  having  sent 
out  of  the  counti^  Father  Sedella,  the  most  fatal  come- 
quenceu  may  ensue  from  the  mere  suspicion  of  the  cause 
<;£f  his  dismissal.'?  Considering  the  dread  in  which  #e 
holy  tribunal  of  the  Inquisition  had  always  been  l^ild 
in,  Spain,  the  energy  with  which  Mr6  acted  OQvthis 
occasion  canr  ot  be  too  much  admired.  v -. 

•  In  the  same  despatch,  Mir6  informed  his  government 
of  the  laying  of  the  first  brick  for  tiie  fbundation  of  the 
cathedral  which^  the  munificence  of  Don  Andres  Almo- 
naster  intended  to  erect  for  the  towhij  at  the  estim^tied 
cost  of  $5^,000^  This  building,  when  c(»np|etedr  be- 
came the  tomb  of  its  founder  on  his  death,  whi^  hap- 
pened not  long  after,  Althoi:^h  this  monum^ltal  ^d 
venerable  reHc  of  the  past  was  ptdled  down^  in  1<SI»0,  in 
the  mere  wantonness  of  vandalism,  to  make  room  J^r  the 
lilpBtart  pro^^QCtiixa  of  b^.  taste,  yet  the  ston^wJ»«h 
coveredlliemortd.remfliBs^^f4he  pious  Ie^u^ 
^^itro?^  temple^  hiuar  aft  least  beenrrespeetiBd^^aii^  «^ 
i;^aip»jhis  ooat  oi«^no&^m^^fi''i'^M»^ 


•1 


'\": 


I 


279 


im  ^imf  OAROUNA  ooMPAinr«i 

Inipittof  all  >      V 

We  U'Ul  oonqaer  the  Ot>ihai 


In  tills  year,  1789,  a  powerlbl  company,  composed  of 
Alex.  Moultrie,  Isaac  Huger,  Major  WUliiun  Snipes^ 
Colonel  Washington  and  other  distinguished  gentlemen, 
had  formed  itself  at  Charleston,  South  Cai'oliua,  and  had 
purchased  from  the  State  of  Georgia  an  immense  tern- 
tory,  including,  it  is  said,  at  least  62,900  square  miles, 
and  extending  from  the  Yazoo  to  the  neighborhood  of 
Natchez  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi.  This  territoiy 
was  partly  claimed  by  the  Chocta«vs,  the  Chickasaws, 
and  Spain.  On  the  1st  of  October,  the  gentlemen  whom 
I  have  napied  wrote  to  Captain  Cape,  one  of  their  agents 
and  associates,  not  to  lose  one  minute,  and,  in  concert 
with  Colonel  Holder,  to  take  possessio*?  of  the  land^  in 
^artue  of  their  contract  with  Georgia.  "The  main  thing 
which  remains  to  be  done,"  said  they,  "to  complete  the 
transaction,  is  to  form  a  settlement."  ^On  the  same  day, 
they  also  wrote  to  Colonel  Holder  in  Kentucky:  "We 
can  inform  you  with  much  satisfaction,  that  there  is  not 
the  slightest  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  affair  in  which 
you  are  a  partner,  and  that  everything  is  already  settled 
with  our  sister  State  of  Georgia  and  with  all  parties 
concerned  here.*  But  we  are  all  convinced  that  there 
remains  yet  a  very  essential  thing  to  be  done  without 
delay,  and  which  would  have  the  most  important  i*iestdts 
in  the  future,  if  executed  promptly — ^that  is,  to  tempos- 
session  of^  aind  settle  the  land  at  onoe.  Therefore  we 
most  earnestly  entre&fc  you,  our  good  Mend,  not  to  post- 
pone this  operation  for  an  instant^  &nd  to  come  down  as 
soon  as  possible  with  your  complement  of  emigrants,  s&d 
form  the  establishment  as  agreed  up6n.  Our  title  a^d 
right  are  already  secured,  but  should  you  promptly  e&Bc^ 


*  All  tifeie  do9Hm«iitB  Mre  retnuulated  from  *  SpMuah  tnuialatidii. 


w 


■h-^ 

''W. 


'■'M 


iSOJJLTVOf  HUOEB,  SNIPBBy  WABOISQIOTa. 


278 


a  settlement,  we  oonld  show  the  world  that  our  plaa  has 
been  put  in  execution,  by  which,  means  we  could  carry 
on,  seyeral  operations  which  would  marvellously  increase 
your  profita  in  this  speculation^  as  well'as  greatly  benefit 
all  our  associates,  who  must  remain  in  a  state  of  inaction 
^sjioiag  flfi  we  do  not  form  a  settlement.        *  * 

"I  do  not  doubt  but  that  you  wiE  lose  no  time  in  , 
writing  to  our  friends  of  the  Choctaw  nation,  m  order  to 
inform,  them  of  your  having  to  be  their  neighbor  and 
ally,  as  well  as  the  friend  of  all  the  Indians,  whose 
attachment  to  us  shall,  we  dai'e  say,  be  cultivated  and 
fostered  by  all  possible  means,  as  being  essential  to  our  ^ 
interests  and  pacific  views. 

'- With  regard  to  our  friends  the  Spaniards,  we  hope 
that  you  will,  without  delay,  communicate  to  them  your 
departure,  and  our  firm  intention  to  cultivate  an  i  even  . 
to  court  their  friendship  as  much  as  possible,  giving 
them  with  sincerity  all  the  information  they  may  desire 
on  any  subject,  because  it  is  neither  our  interest  nor  our 
wish' to  deceive  them,  as  we  consider  their  interests  and 
ours  as  intimately  connected  ftn.d  inseparable.  We  desire 
being  useful  to  them,  and  we  hope  that,  in  return,  they 
will  .be  to  us  what  we  shall  be  to  them.  Whe]^  nations 
are  mutually  and  reciprocally  bound  together  by  the 
same  interests,  their  alliance  is  maintained  by  the  strong- 
est ties,  and  their  motives  and  views  can  never  disagree. 
We  confidently  flatter  ourselves  that  we  shall  form,  a 
highly  advantageous  rampart  tov  Spun,  and  that  we 
^^  ourselves  feel  that  it  is  our  interest  that  such  j&ould 
be.theca^e;  _^:-    *  *  *        .  *•:^^-A■^^>     ' 

^  At  alley^nts,  t^  possession,  exhibit  tlua  letter  and 
even  our  cpzt^r^  to  the  Bpanjiiircls,  and  conceal  nothing 
frbm^theiiL'*' ;V-. "  -^.....^  -^r^'-^r^^^^:' --'■'■'■  . 


V* 


^?' 


2T4  MOULTRDE,  HCOER,  8NIFBB,  WABHUI^JPir,,  * 

On  tlie  4ih  of  January,  1T90,  Wilkinaon,  to  whom-  all 
tbis  affiiiv^Jiad  been  commnnicated,  with  a  view,  no  doubt, 
to  secnce  his  assistance,  wrote  to  Messrs.  Monltiier  Hiige^, 
Snipes,  and  Washington,  with  his  usual  chi^acteristic 
lEeenness,  and  begged  leave,  after  a  long  preamble  on  Ins 
disinterestedness  and  the  honesty  of  his  intentions,  to 
make,  as  he  observed,  a  few  trifling  observations  on  the 
measures  they  had  adopted,  and  to  suggest  the  preliipi- 
nary  dispositions  which  would  be  indispensably  necessary 
to  secure  the  complete  accomplishment  of  their  plans. 
Alluding  to  the  letters  which  I  have  quoted,  and  which 
were  exhibited  to  him  by  Captain  Cape,  he  said  that 
they  appeared  to  be  of  so  extraordinary  a  nature,  that  he 
remarked  to  that  gentleman  that  he  would  not  hesitate 
to  pronounce  them  forgeries,  if  the  proofs  of  their  authen- 
ticity were  not  so  strong.*  He  further  informed  Messrs. 
Huger,  Washington,  Snipes,  and  Moultrie,  that,  on  his 
last  trip  to  New  Orleans,  he  had  had  a  frank  and  free 
intercourse  with  Governor  Miro ;  that  he  had  discussed 
with  th|^t  Spanish  functionary  the  whole  affair,  and  had 
finally  ascertained  what  was  the  sole  basis  on  which  a 
settlement  might  be  formed  in  that  latitude,  &c."t 

.       *  *         -  *  *  *  •  A-',*    , 

"  It  is  a  stupendous  enterprise,"  wrote  Wilkinson,  "well 
worthy  of  the  attention  it  has  attracted,  and  if  it  be  sufe- 
cessftiUy  executed,  it  will  procure  immense  wealth  for 
the  interested  parties.  But  there  are  difficulties  to  con- 
^  quer,  which  are  proportioned  to  the  importance  and 
magnitude  of  the  object.  The  foundations  on  which  this 
enterprise  must  necessarily  rest,  are  a<?^6/tm<fe,  fMid  the 
agencies  of  several  gentlemen  of  the  best  education  aind 


*  D(Bqni^  d«  leer  1m  eajtreaadas  eartas  fti^  qn«  •!  ettfu  no  jkotsii  ftiei*t«8 
pradlMW  de  aufa^nticidod,  desde  loego  las  prOntihdiaba  porfi^MHl," 

f  ii  en  fin  qued6  instrnido  del  solo  plan  sobre  que  po^a  fotnuurM  onM^blA- 
dmientoMi  estos  panics' 


■s- 


-w 


%ILldlT80K*8  ADVIOB  Ta  THB  B.  0.  OOMFANT.       275 


mdnnen,  as  well  aa  gifted  with  politieal  sagacity;  aud 
-with  those  talents  which  seotire  popularity.  It  is  impos- 
&iblo  that,  nndei*  present  circnmstances,  yon  should  effect 
your  establishment  before  next  autumn.  In  the  mean- 
tin^^  a  gentleman  of  distinction,  and  clothed  with  full 
powers,  ought  to  be  sent  to  New  Orleans  to  negotiate 
for  the  company,  and  to  secure  to  them  the  good  will 
and  services  of  Governor  Mird,  without  which  you  may 
abandon  your  project  as  being  totally  impracticable. 
Should  you  gain  the  friendship  of  that  of&cer,  his  in- 
fluence would  facilitate  your  negotiations  with  the  Ghbc- 
taws,  to  occupy  atid  possess  peaceably  the  desired 
ground,  Ac. 

*  ♦  ♦  ♦  '■%■■:;':■'      ■• 

"  Whatever  be  the  reception  you  may  give  to  this  let- 
ter, I  know  that  my  duty  is  to  undeceive  you  with  regard 
to  the  presumed  concession  which  Mr.  Woods  preteinds 
to  have  from  the  Choctaws.  Believe  me,  gentlemen, 
when  I  tell  you  that  his  title  is  not  worth  a  pinch  of 
snuE  I  hate  all  dec^t,  and  hence  the  information  which 
I  impart  to  you.  iNevertheless,  permit  mo  to  observe, 
that  you  must  take  care  to  give  no  cause  .  f  jealous  orm- 
plaints  to  those  individuals  who  have  posbcssed  them- 
selves of  your  confidence  in  this  affidr.  Ap.  offended 
friend  becomes  the  worst  of  enemies,  and  an  active  enemy, 
however  obscure  he  may  be,  can  obstruct  the  best  con- 
ceived designs. 

"  After  these  observations,  gentlemen,  it  only  remains 
for  me  to  say  that  I  desire  to  co-operate  wii  you  as 
your  agent,"  &c.,  &c 

WhUst  Wilkinson  was  thus  eager  to  embark  in  this 

new  scheme,  his  agents  in  Kentucky  for  his  other  designs 

iirere  pressing  hiua  for  mofiey.    Oa  liie  5th  of  January, 

,^ebastian  :\^a8  &<^^  in  ihei  fb31<:i^wii%^^« 

^  As  my  atten^n  to  t]bii9  |d9fiE^r  takes  tp  ^  greater  p(»^ 


»}^ 


% 


■%•■/  .i.r 


*si''' 


!% 


■fJ 


27e 


SEBASTUN  BJCOGINa  S£|tUinBBATIOV. 


tion  of  my  time,  and  prevents  me  from  ^Uowipg  iiay 
6^er  pnrmit,  I  certainly  hope  to  olbtain  from  the  Bpaniih 
government  at  least  some  indemnification,  if  not  a  gei|«"^ 
roQS  reward  for  my  services.  On  piinciple,  I  Am  as 
much  attached  to  the  interests  of  Louisiana  fl3>  any  one 
of  the  subjects  of  hi9  Catholic  Majesty.  But  ypu  know 
that  my  circumstances  do  not  permit  me  to  engage  in 
his  service  and  to  abandon  every  other  occupation, 
without  the  prospect  of  remuneration."  This  letter  was 
immediately  communicated  by  Wilkinson  to  Mir6,  to 
whom  he  submitted  also  all  the  documents  he  had  pro^ 
cured  concerning  the  entei'prise  of  Moultrie  and  his 
associates.  In  connexion  with  this  subject,  he  wrote 
from  Lexington  to  the  Spanish  Governor,  on  the  20th 
of  January:  "The  documents  No.  1,  2,  8,  will  inform 
you  of  the  purchase  which  a  company,  composed  of  dis' 
tinguished  men,  has  made  from  the  State  of  Georgia,  of 
a  vast  territory  contiguous  to  the  Mississippi.  Mr.  Cape, 
to  wholn  I  have  loaned  three  thousand  dollars,  is  conse- 
quently ia  my  dependence.  Holder,  on  account  of  his 
being  under  my  protection,  cannot  do  any  harm,  and 
both  ore  insignificant  creatures.  Turning  this  affair  ovei^ 
in  my  mind,  I  became  apprehensive  lest  it  should  become 
prejudicial  to  our  other  plans,  and,  after  mature  reflec- 
tion, I  determined  to  address  Messrs.  Moultrie,  Huger,  and 
Snipes,  who.  ai*e  gentlemen  of  rank  and  fortune  (aa  you 
will  see  per  Doc,  No.  4),  with  a  view  to  pbtam  the 
agency.of  that  affair,  and  to  induce  the  Company  to  sue 
for  ypur,  protection.  If  I  succeed,  I  am  persuaded  that  I 
shall  experience  no  dif&culty  in  adding  their  estAbHsh- 
ment  to  the  domains  of  his  M{g,esty,  and  this  they  will 
soon  discQit^er  to  be  their  intere^.  I  hope  that  the  step 
I  have  tikcaij  wp  meet  jour  approbation.  It  wpftld 
have  beeiv  ^eqess^  to  do  a  little  mqre,  but  I  ha4  »P 


tis^  to  <K)neiult  ypu  and  asjcertain  yoiir  opinion^..  This 


ttt:  'n 


* 


ooNTiKtTAnoir  or  wilkivson^b  xttnaamm.      277 

18  th^  reason  for  wliicli  T  Lave  undertaken  to  place  iii 
yoiir'  hands  thie  wbcle  control  of  this  affiiir.  Yon  ^11 
have  the  opportunity  to  modify  the  plan  of  the  Company 
as  y^ur  judgment  and  prudence  will  suggest,  and  the 
interest  of  the  King  may  require.  I  will  keep  you  well 
informed  of  every  movement  which  I  shall  observe;  llhd 
it  will  be  completely  in  your  power  to  break  up  thd 
projected  settlement,  by  inciting  the  Choctaws  to 
incommode  the  colonists,  who  will  thus  be  fbrced  to 
move  off  and  to  establish  themselves  under  your  govern- 
ment," 

Six  days  after,  Wilkinson  wrote  to  Mird  in  a  less  flat- 
tering tone.  It  seems  that  clou<fe  had  arisen  and 
obscured  the  sun  of  their  hopes.  "  The  general  permis^ 
sion;"  said  he,  in  a  de^atch  of  the  26th,  "  to  eitport' the 
products  of  this  country  through  the  Mississippi  river, 
on  paying  a  duty  of  15  per  cent.,  has  worked  the  conse- 
quences which  I  feared,  because,  every  motive  of  discon- 
tent having  thus  been  removed,  the  political  agitation 
Iios  s^bsid^  and  to-day  there  is  not  one  word  said 
about  separation.  Nor  are  the  effects  produced  by  this 
pernicious  system  less  fatal  in  relation  to  our  plan  of 
fosteritig  emigration  to  Louisiana^  Every  year,  the 
inhabitants  and  htndholders  of  these  parts  fakd  ever 
present  to  their  ^n<li  the  terrible  prospect  of  seeing 
their  produce  perishintheir  hands^rwantof  amiairket. 
but  now  they  no  longer  have  any  such  appreM'ensions 
on  account  of  the  ready  outlet  they  find  at  New  <^leana 
for  the  fruits  of  their  labo^-^whioh'cirotllu^tkii(9e'  had 
diffused  uidversal  satisfeotion  in  ihisi  distritjft^  te  "^  *    * 

"The  prttriency  of  emigration  Hais 'been  sobth^d';!^^ 
aUayed^  by^lflie  spint  of  trade  whicfi  engro^es  genor^; 
attention,  an^ii^lhere^nifl^  i^^Mt^^f-erj^tt^sf^^ 
are  ^nepariiig  caigi(»^  {6t  ^  ""''^  " 


"t-" 


^        *>: 


278    o.  inonoLAB,  s.  m^oowell  ako  payton  shoxt. 

the  pretext  of  settling  in  Lonisiona,  will  procare  to  elude 
the  payment  of  the  afoi'esaid  duty.  I  will  not  dismiss 
this  subject  without  assuring  you,  that  I  make  incessant 
efforts  to  accomplish  the  views  of  his  Majesty,  and, 
although  I  have  to  conquer  immense  difficulties,  y^et  I 
flatter  myself  that,  if  you  confine  the  privilege  of  the 
present  free  commerce  to  those  who  will  readily  and 
really  emigrate,  I  shall  be  able  to  effect  a  strong  settle- 
ment at  the  Walnut  Hills,  <fec.,  <fec.  *  * 

*'  On  my  arrival,  here,  I  discovered  a  great  change  in 
those  who  had  been  so  fat  our  warmest  friends.  Many, 
who  loudly  repudiated  all  connection  with  the  Union, 
now  remain  silent.  I  attribute  this,  either  to  the  hope 
of  promotion,  or  to  tha  fear  of  puitishment.  According 
to  my  prognostic,  Washington  has  begun  to  operate  on 
the  chief  he;^  of  this  district.  Innis  has  been  appoint- 
ed a  fedetal  judge  with  an  annual  salary  of  one  thousand 
dollars;  George  Nicholas,  district  attorney;  Samuel 
McDowell,  Son  of  the  president  of  the  Conventioi|,  and 
Marshall,  have  been  appointed  to  office  somewhat  re- 
sembling that  of  Alguazil Mayor;  and  Payton  Short,  the 
brother  of  our  charge  d'affaires  at, Versailles,  is  made  a 
custom-house  officer.  But  he  has  resigned,  and  probably 
will  visit  y6u  in  the  spring.  I  do  not  pl^xser  much  reli- 
ance on  George  Nicholas  and  Samuel  McDowell  But  I 
know  that  Harry  Innis  is  friendly  to  Spain  a|E^  hostile 
to  Congress,  and  I  am  authorized  to  say  that  he  would 
much  prefer  receiving  a  pension  from  New  Orleans  than 
from  New  York.  Should  the  King  approve  our  design 
on  this  point,  it  will  have  to  be  broached  with  much 
delicacy,  caution  and  judgment,  Jkc.  *  * 

"And  I  fearjfeat  we  can  rely  on  a  few  only  of  my^^unr 
trymen,  if  we  cannot  make  use  of  liberal  dopitioni^  ic 


ooinnnTiTioir  or  \numno7(*b  nrrBxovEB.      ^tO 


**I  know  that  Colonel  Morgosi  happens  now  to  be  in 
New  Jersey^  where^'I  believe  that  be  is  awaitmg  the 
resi^  of  the  promises  of  Don  Diego  Gardoqni.  Doing 
jQstioe  to  the  Colonel,*  I  mnst  inform  you  that  he  is  for 
ever  the  fHend  of  Spain,  and  the  advocate  of  our  plans. 
Bui  I  fear  that,  owing  to  peculiar  embarrassments  of  his 
own,  he  will  not  be  able  to  effect  his  settlement  at 
LAnae  ^  la  Chcdaae  (New  Madrid)  as  promptly  as  he. 
hope^  He  is  as  badly  treated  as  I  am  by  the  depend  • 
ents  of  General  Washington  and  by  the  fHends  of  Con- 
gress. I  see  that  all  those  wh6  are  put  in  office  are  the 
enemies  of  Spain,  and  that  all  the  friends  of  Congress 
■^  are  hostile  to  me,  because  I  openly  praise  the  former, 
and  publicly  blame  the  latter.  All  those  who  go  down 
the  Mississippi  as  traders  are  my  enemies,  because  they 
envy  my  position,  and  the  favor  and  protection,  which 
you  grant  me.  But  you  may  rest  assured  that  the  con- 
stant persecution  of  Congress  cannot  produce  the  slight- 
est impression  on  my  attachment  and  ^al  for  the  interests 
of  Spain,  which  I  shall  always  be  ready  to  defend  with 
my  tongue,  my  pen,  and  my  sword.'^f 

iKelatively  to  the  Convention  which,  he  said,  was  to 
meet  in  Kentucky  in  June  next,  and  the  members  of 
which  were  to  be  elected  in  May,  he  expressed  himself 
as  follows :  *'  I  will  pay  strict  attention  to  its  proceedings, 
and  I^wp  present  myself  to  that  assembly,  Vfith  the 
intention  of  doing  aU  that  may  be  in  my  power,  to  pro* 
mote  the  interest  of  our  cause,  in  which  I  shall  be  waimly 
assisted  by  our  good  6iend  Sebastian,  who  is  now  iShy 
principal  aid,  because,  although  Harry  Imus  is  also  onr 

ft^ilkiwNni  is  h«r«  in  4i;M«t  oontradiptioo  witl»  Jt^imM^  sM>  945.    But  h« 
m4y  iMTisli^lflil^^g^     oliMigs  bis  wmtliiieiite  ftiad  bngi^iii, 

, .  a,  EtpaAa  4^e  liUM  |^^  prontd  A  di«feMer  odikKoi'  l^bgtti,  pluiui  f  tipdl*. 


^ 


^^    1 


280 


WlIiKlKSON'S   WKH  TO  BECOME  A  SPANIABi). 


R'P, 


IS 


p. 
M 


•It  SI! 


friend,  yet  the  office  which  he  holdp  renders  it  improjJer 
for  him  ta  work  openly.  At  present,  all  oiir  peliticiattig 
seem  td  have  fallen  asleep.  Buoyed  tjuby-'thfe^privil^e 
of  trade  which  has  been  granted  to  them  on  the  Mfeeiii^ 
sippi,  the  people  think  of  nothing  else  than  cultivatiiig^ 
their  lands  and  increasing  their  plantation*;  iti'sttch 
circumstances  it  is  impossible  that  I  should,  with  any* 
chance  of  success,  press  upon  them  the  important  ques- 
tion which  I  had  proposed  t/0  myself  on  my  arrival  h^re^ 

"I  am  justified  in  saying  that  Congress  strongly  sus- 
pects my  connection  with  you,  and  that  it  spies  ihy  move^ 
ments  in  this  section  of  vlie  country.  Consequently,  an 
avowed  intention  on  my  part  to  induce  these  people  here 
to  separate  from  the  Union,  before  the  majority  of  them 
show  a  disposition  to  support  me,  would  endanger  my 
personal  security,  and  would  deprive  me  of  the  opportu- 
nity of  serving  you  in  these  parte.  My  situation  is  mor- 
tally painfid,  because,  whilst  I  abhor  all  duplicity,  I  am 
obliged  to  dissemble.  This  makes  me  extremely  desirous 
of  resorting  to  some  contrivance  that  will  put  me  m  a 
position,  in  which  I  flatter  myself  to  be  abl^  to  profess 
myself  publicly  the  vassal  of  his  Catholic  Majesty^  and 
therefore  to  claim  his  protection,  in  whatever  pubhc  or 
private  measures  I  may  devise  to  promote  the  interest 
of  the  Crown."  ;;  >  ^^     v 

The  change  to  which  Wilkinson  alludes  iSi  this  com- 
munication is  to  be  attributed  to  the  confid^6e  inspired 
to  all  by  the  wise  and  firm  admimstration  of  Washington, 
who  had  been  installed  into  office  on 'the  41^  of  March,' 
ITBO,  as  first  President  of  the  United  States,  und^r  that 
new  Constitution  whic^  had  jtist  been  ^framed  by-^  the 
people  thereof,  "  tO  form  a  more  perfect  union,  estabHsh 
justice,  infiUi-e  doJnestic  tranquilli^;  provide  for  the  com- 
mon defepoe,  promote  the  general  welfare^  am  secure  the 


iioxunsa^  UBPtsR  TO  vnuEPS&onx. 


2tBil 


blessiogs  of  liberty  td  tbemiielves  ftfid;  tBeir  poslbeiity,^ 
Slid  If bioh  wafl  b^gioning  to  accomplish  these  ^objects. 
/It  appears  that  the  eimgrants  whoui  Colonel  Moii^ 
ha^flKttracted  to  L'Anse  k  la  iGh*aifiae,  or  New  Modi^id^  had 
not^long  remamed  satis^d  with  their  leader,  for  they 
had  sent  John  Ward  to  New  Orleans  as  their  de£B|8te, 
to  present  to  Mir6*  a  memorial  signed  by  them,  and  in 
wUchthey  complained  of  the  state  of  complete  anarchy 
in  which  they  Hved,  and  of  the  exactions  of.  Colonel 
Morgan.  '* We  also  beg  yon,"  they  said,  "to  pen6it  tis 
to  remark,  that  the  method  adopted  for  settling  thi^  dis- 
trict is  very  prejudicial  to  the  interests  of  the  King,  and 
also  to  those  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  Madrid,  his  snl> 
jeets.  Therefore,  we  conclude  with  assuring  yoo,  that 
if  we  cannot  obtain  satisfaction  with  regard  to  what  we 
represent  to  you  through  Mr.  Ward,  our  agent,  we  shall 
be  obliged,  relying  on  our  right  and  the  jtustt  support  of 
our  friend"?,  to  abandon  a  country  and  a  climate  wiiii 
which  we  are  highly  pleased." 

On  the  27th  of  February,  Alex.  Moultrie  replied  to 
Wilkinson's  letter  of  the  4th  of  January,  acoeptihg  with 
many  compliments  the  offer  of  his  services,  and  entr^lan^ 
him  to  use  his  best  e£brts  in  order  to  accelerate  and  per- 
fect the  great  enterprise  of  the  South  Cf^lina  Cdmf>anyj 
but  informing  him  that  the  agency  of  the^mpanyiootdd 
no  longer  be  disposed  of,  as^^it  had  been  ^ome  l^ne  ago 
granted  to  Dr.  O'FaUon,  who  was  the  bi^r^r  of  Moiscltrie's 
letter  ta  Wilkinson.  But  it  is  evident  from  a  communi- 
cation addressed  by  Mir6  to  WHfcinsony  on  /1hl&  d(^h  c^ 
April^  that  this  gentleman  could  not  cb  oineh  for  the 
South  Carolina  speculators  who  had  appHid  to  hiob:  M' 
return  to  you  nmnythai&Bi"  said  Mir^»^Vforihe  l^tteu 
you  have  wiitt^i  to  Mesk^i  lifeynltaie^  SnipeiB^  M«^#f,  '«tMl 


283 


MIRd^  LETISB  TO  WJLKDXBOV. 


"Wmhmgtoii,  although  you  have  rendei^ed  them  a  greater 
service  than  to  me,  by  the  wholesome^  advice  which  ^ou 
tiavd  administered  to  them.  It  would  be  exoee€&^ly 
painful  to  me  to  march  with  arms  in  my  hands  againdt 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  with  which  my  court- "fre- 
quently recommends  me  to  keep  on  the  best  terms  of 
harmony  and  friendship.  But,  in  order  to  avoid,  once 
for  all,  eveiy  cause  of  trouble  and  misunderstanding  on 
this  subject,  I  beg  you  to  communicate  to  these  gentle^ 
men  my  following  declarations :  ;> 

*'  1"— Spain  is  in  possession  of  all  that  she  conquered 
from  Great  Britain  in  the  last  war,  and  consequently,  of 
the  territory  which  these  gentlemen  have  obtained  from 
the  State  of  Georgia,  and  therefore,  so  long  as  the  ques* 
tion  of  limits  shall  not  be  settled,  every  attempt  to  seize 
on  any  portion  of  the  land  to  which  we  have  a  previous 
right  of  possession,  will  be  an  act  of  hostility  which  we 
must  resist. 

"  2® — ^The  concession  of  land  from  the  Ohoctaws  and 
Chickaaaws  founded  on  the  treaty  of  Hopewell  and 
Seneca,  in  1 786,  is  a  chimera."  Mir6  then  goes  on  say- 
ing, that  the  chie&  themselves  who  had  signed  that 
treaty  had  signified  to  the  American  Commissioners  ^at 
they  had  no  such  powers,  and  had  furthermore  declared, 
that  it  was  only  afber  having  been  made  drunk,  that 
they  had  put  their  seals  to  it.  He  also  informs  Wilkin- 
son that  the  Ohoctaws  had  proclaimed,  that  they  would 
n6t  permit  the  Americans  even  to  walk  over  their  lands, 
because  they  were  afraid  of  their  being  gradually 
usurped  by  the  well-known  rapacity  of  those  intruders! 
The  tone  of  this  letter  is  very  different  from  the  affec- 
tionate style  in  which  Mir6  usually  addressed  Wilkinsony 
and  indicates  jkhat  he  resented  Wilkinson'^  letter  of  the 
2&th  of  Jan^uftry,  in  which  he  waa  is^mied  of  ihe 
change  which  had  occurred  in  the  feelings  of  the  people 


"ifs^ 


h  COTXTJfiWtJJOUB  LANOn^l. 


283 


of  KenttiolBy,  and  of  the  oloaoBt  nndoi^bteddestni^tiou 
of  all  his  hopes  and  plaos^  ,    , 

In  a  second  despatch  to  Wilkinson,  dated  on  t];ie  siune 
day  (80th  of  April),  Mird  commits  on  the  reasons 
giveti  by  th^t  gentleman,  to  account  for  the  revulsion  of 
sentiments  which  was  described  to  have  taken  place 
amcMig  the  Western  people.  "  Your  countrymen,"  said 
he,  **  will  soon  find  out  that  the  advantages  they  expect 
from  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  on  their  paying 
an  import  duty  of  15  per  cent,  when  entering  Louioana, 
and  an  export  duty  of  6  per  cent,  when  leaving  it, 
amount  to  nothing.  So  far,  tobacco  has  been  the  only 
produce  of  any  importance  which  they  haye  brought  to 
New  Orleans,  and  which  the  king  has  reserved  to  hini- 
self  the  privilege  of  buying.  Should  he  not  chpose  to 
do  so,  on  the  ground  that  the  article  wanted  is  not 
furnished  in  sufficient  quantity,  or  is  not  of  the  quality 
requix'ed,  it  would  remain  a  dead  weight  in  the  hands 
of  the  owner.  Several  individuals,  who  ar,e  now  here, 
have  discovered  this  to  be  the  case.  With  regard  to 
your  supposition  that  they  will  elude  paying  the  duty 
of  16  per  cent,  under  the  pretext  of  coming  to  settle  in 
Louisiana,  it  is  without  any  sort  of  foundation  whatever, 
and  you  may  rest  assured  that  I  shall  take  care  that  the 
law  be  executed  on  that  point."  He  then  enumerated 
iu  detail  the  preventive  measures  which  he  had  imagi^e^} 
more  effectually  to  defeat  the  anticipated  fraud.     ,     -  , 

"I  therefore  confidently  hope,"  continued  he,  "that, 
with  your  characteristic  perseverance,  making  use  of  the 
information  which  I  give  you,  and  which  will  be  con- 
firmed by  your  countrymen  on  their  return,  you  wiU  be 
able  to  revive  our  political  designSj-by  sowing  broad-caat, 
and  causing  to  germinate  among  yoizr  peo|ple,  such  ideas 
AS  t, all  seeii^'  tt>  jon^  best  calcnlated  to  ee^Msii  the  con- 
viction, that  the  inreBire  of  the  inhabitaiil^  of  Itentucky 


%: 


^*'     I 


.#     « 


m 


284 


A  LBSSOir  TO  TBA1T0B8. 


M 


depends,  either  on  llieir  forming  adbse  and  strong  con- 
necfion  with  Spain,  or  on  their  seeMhg  to  better  ^their 
fortune  by  becoming  denizens  of  lionisiana.'^      • 

With  regard  to  that  passage  in  Wilkinson's  letter  in 
which  he  said  that  he  had  become  an  object  of  suspicion 
to  hi$  government,  and  that  his  situation  was  mortally 
painful,  because,  whilst  abhorring  duplicity,  he  was 
obliged  to  dissemble,  wherefore  he  was  seeking  for  the 
occasion  of  professing  himself  publicly  the  vassal  of  his 

^  CathoKc  Majesty,  in  order  to  claim  his  protection  in 

whatever  public  or  private  measures  he  mdght  devise  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  crown,  Mird  replied:*  "I 
much  regret  that  General  Washington  and  €ongress 
SQspect  your  connection  with  me,  but  it  does  not  appear 
to  me  opportune  that  you  declare  yourself  a  Spaniard, 
for  the  reasons  which  you  state.  I  am  of  opinion  that 
this  idea  of  yours  is  not  convenient,  and  that,  on  the  con>- 

if  trary,  it  might  have  prejudicial  result.  Therefore^  con- 
tinue to  dissemble  and  to  work  as  you  promise,  and  as 
I  have  above  indicated.'  In  this  letter,  all  the  caressing 
epithets  and  other  expressions  so  plentifully  used,'  on 
other  occasions,  are  dropped,  ftnd  the  worda^  rm/  dearest 
friend,  or  any  other  approaching  their  meaning,  are  stu- 
diously excluded,  and  Miro's  despatch  terminates  merely 
with  the  commonplace  salutation  so  familiar  in  Spanish 
phraseology:  "Dios  guarde  a  Vs.  muchos  afios.**  =f**God 
preserve  you  many  years."       -  ;. 

'In  travelling  over  these  historical  grounds^  here  have 
we  come  to  a  point  from  which  a  rich  scene  of  practical 
morality  is  displayed  before  tis.  "  Yon  may  rest  adsured^f 
had  written  Wilkinson,  "that  the  constant  pewrecution 

*  Si«nto  mfieho  86  deiMM>afl«  el  general  Wuhihgton  y  el  Congresb,  delaoo- 
nexion    di  Vs.  oon^go;   paro  novnie  {>aree«f  dpovtuno'qiie  Vt-'^M  deelare 
EspaRol,  a  fin  de  que  noflstra  coite  pneda  sosteperle.    Soy  d«  pim^er  quejesta., 
idea  no  plied«  ser  oonveniente,  y  que  al,  contrario  podria  aoaITte^pM$1idiQiale■ 
reaultaa^    Piittaidie  Va.  pue^  y-tlrabi^e  <^ 


'.*^ 


madl?»  joffsmm'v  tiv  wjucmaov*^ 


285 


,ol  CoogresB  cannoii' produce tkesHglttetffe  impEession on 
i9}p>9ttia(C^oiant  iu}d  «df^^  mterests  o£  ^ain,  whieh 

I  eHaU  viiway?  ?W  ready  to  defeod  with  my  tongue,  my 
p^^and;  my  sword,"  3o iar,  so  good,  and  "Thwik  yon, 
d^Mt  friend^"  had  replied  Spanish  interest.  "Bnt  I 
aottanxions  to  become  aSpaniard  on  the  first  opportunity 
that  shall  present  itself"  said  Wilkinson,  proceeding  a 
ste][>  >lurther*TT-"YouI  a  Spaniard,  Sir!  Oh,  no  I  that 
cannot  bci  Continue  to  dissemble,  and  to  work. under 
grouud,  as  you  are  bound  to  do.  Retain  your  American 
tongue,  your  American  pen,  and  your  American  sword. 
You  can  serve  us  better  in  that  guise."  Thus  spoke 
Spanish  pride  and  Spanish  honor.  Is  thei^  on  record  a 
more  striking  specimen  of  withering  contempt  ? 

On  the22d  of  May,  Mir6  wrote  to  the  minister,  Don 
Antonio  Vald^s,  to  render  him  an  account  (rf  his  last 
transactions  and  correspondence  with  Wilkinson.  "Air 
though,"  said  he,  '^  I  thought  with  Wilkinson  that  the 
commercial  concessions  made  to  the  Western  peopile 
might  deter  them  from  effectiog  their  separation  from 
the  United  States,  because  I  supposed  they  would  prefer 
losing  the  defalcation  produced  in  the  value  of  their 
crop  by  the  payment  of  the  duty  of  fifteen  per  cent.,  to 
running  all  the  risks  of  a  revolution,  yet  I  never  imia- 
gm§-  that  the  effects  would  be  so  sudden,  and  that  the 
large  number  of  influential  men,  whom  Wilkinscm,  ip. 
his  previous  letters,  had  mentioned  as  having  be^n  gained 
over  to  pur  party,  wouid  have  entirely  vanished,  as  he 
now  announces  it,  since  he  affirms  having  no  other  aid 
at  present  than  Sebastian.  jk;:^ 

*'X  C<^n^der  that  I  am  expoil^  tO)^  in iexpresting  an 
opinio^  ;Qni  the  a<its  of  aiJEl^^l^  who  w;@ii^  himdred 

>m  this  place,  and  who  has  ipidoubted^  t^- 
akiijii^  ftpsi^ydi^^ing  seih^ces  fo  hklilcae^^y«  afi  X 
naVe  e^lained  it  iH  my  oiliei!  de8patche«i/» 


■^<-'- 


■W 


^86 


SSBASTIAIF,;  A  8FT  <XS  "WJUaSmyV, 


Hi'' 


fpK&t  faUing  off  which  I  observe  in  ms  last  letter  indoejes 
me  to  l>elieve  that,  full  of  good  will  and  zeal/aiid*  per- 
suaded, from  the  experience  of  past  years,  that  he  ooidd 
bring  round  to  his  own  opinions  the  chief  men  of  Ken^ 
tacky,  he  declared  in  anticipation  that  he  had  Wf>n  over 
many  of  them,  when  he  had  never  approached  thc^m^ni 
the  main  question,  and  that,  encountering,  at  this  time, 
instead  of  facilities,  invincible  obstacles,  and,  cbove  aU, 
personal  risks  should  he  declare  himself,  he  has  itvailed 
himself  of  the  motive  which  he  puts  forth,  to  cover  his 

precipitation,  <fec.  &c.  *  ♦  •  ♦ 

•  «  «  «  mm  m 

"Nevertheless,  I  am  of  opinion  that  said  brigadiei*- 
general  ought  to  be  retained  in  the  service  of  his  Majesty, 
with  an  annual  pension  of  two  thousand  dollars,  which 
I  have  already  proposed  in  my  confidential  despatch 
!No.  46,  because  the  inhabitants  of  Kentucky,  and  of  the 
other  establishments  on  the  Ohio,  will  not  be  able  to 
undertake  anything  against  this  province,  without  his 
communicating  it  to  us,  and  without  his  making  at  the 
same  time  all  possible  efforts  to  dissuade  them  from  any 
had  designs  against  us,  as  he  has  abeady  done  repeat- 
edly.^ 

Mird  concludes  his  letter  with  recommending  that  a 
pension  be  granted  to  Sebastian,  "because  I  t^i$k  it 
proper,'*  said  he,  "to  treat  with  this  individual,  who  will 
be  able  to  enlighten  me  on  the  conduct  of  Wilkinson, 
and  on  what  we  have  to  expect  from  the  plans  of  the 
said  brigadier-general."* 

Thus  every  thing  was  done  acciording  to  the  most 
apprioyed  rnles  laid  down  in  the  code  of  corruptioii: 
"set  a  thief  to  batch  a  thie^  and  a  spy  after  aWher 

oblantiie  Q^itolio  k  ^ncliietft  del  exptumio  brigadier  y  Ito  qq«M  pi^efli^p*^ 
- :4#ia| ][Nfoj«q|toft  '■■• 


,* 


mab  vtujstsa  wiLsursoN. 


28T 


f 

1 1     1 


M 

Lett" 

)ver 

im. 

lime, 

jail, 

ailed 

r  liis 

adier- 


wliicli 

spatch 

oftbe 

[ible  to 

Alt  bis 

at  the 

>niany 

repeat- 
that  a 
Uijl^it 

fe>  win 

ikiiison, 
of  the 

most 
lioii: 


'k 


le«ip«rtf 


Bpy^  'Pom  WiUdnson  was  employed  to  watch  the 
KentuokiaojB,  and  Sebastian  to  betray  his  confedeiate 
Wilkiiison*  Not  a  link  wanting  in  the  chain  v. ' 
intoy. 

In  a  second  despatch  of  the  22d  of  May,  Mu*d  commn- 
nicatee  to  the  same  minister  all  the  information  he  had 
received  on  the  plan  of  colonization  formed  by  the 
South  Carolina  Company,  and  all  he  had  done  in  relation 
to  that  matter.  "You  will  observe,"  said  he,  "that 
Messrs.  Alex.  Moultrie,  William  Clay,  Snipes,  and  Huger, 
members  of  that  Company,  recommend  to  Colonel  Hol- 
der to  cultivate  the  aJliance  of  the  Indian  nations,  and 
to  communicate  to  us  all  the  operations  of  said  Company, 
together  with  their  intention  to  court  our  Me^^dshipi 
because  they  consider  theii*  interests  and  ours  as  insepar 
rably  connected,  and  conclude  with  charging  their  a^ent 
ix>  tA  possession  at  all  events. 

"From  the  whole  texture  of  their  letter  to  Holder  it 
is  to  be  inferred,  that  they  believe  themselves  authorized 
to  form  an  Independent  State,  because  there  is  not  in 
it  one  word  which  indicates  the  least  subordination  to 
the  United  States.  On  the  contrary,  they  flatter  th^n- 
selves  that  they  will  serve  as  a  harrier  or  rampa/rtfor  ^  ^ 
protection  of  Louisiamiy  whiGh.  circumst^mce  could  ^  not 
happen,  unle^  they  fonmed  a  sovereign  State." 

Mir6  praised  Wilkinson  for  the  part  he  had  acted  on 
that  occasion,  and  for  having  so  much  discouraged  the 
South  C^BTolina  Company,  that  their  operations  wei« 
suspended  for  the  moment.  "  I  mention  this  fact  the 
mpre  readily  on  his  behalf,"  said  he,  "  that  I  spoke  less 
favorably  erf  him  in  my  preceding  commurii' itaoii;" 
Ippd^^c^ied  has  de^tch^^  w^^  asking  for  instructions  on 
the  subject,  and  said  that,  in  the  mean  time^  sh^nl^  the 
^00%^  i^^cb^lQ^  to  talee  |)<Ni3eEei(»i  (^ 

ihe  terrifcofy  WMeh  -they  pretended  tcf  have 


^i" 


;*    ,.. 


■4'  i 


288 


.FAMES  oValLON's  LETimt  TO  MIb6. 


:?« 


from  Georgia,  he  would  oppose  tHat  tisurpation  with 
suohJ»rees  as  he  could  command,  and.with  the  assist- 
ance  of  the  Indians,  and  that  his  first  step  would  be  to 
occupy  a  strong  military  position  at  "  Walnut  Hills,"  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo. 

On  the  24th  of  May,  James  OTallon,  who  styled  him- 
self the  "  General  Agent  in  the  Western  settlement  for 
the  company  of  South  Carolina  relatively  to  the  Yazoo 
territory,"  wrote  from  Leidngton  to  Governor  Miro  a 
letter,  which,  notwithstanding  its  length,  I  shall  quote 
almost  in  fiiU,  on  account  of  the  curious  development? 
which  it  contains. 

"The  detention,"  said  he,  "which  I  shall  probably 
experience  in  Kentucky,  where  I  have  just  arrived  on 
my  way  to  New  Orleans;  the  importance  of  the  mission 
for  which  I  am  sent  to  you,  not  only  with  regard  to  the 
Spanish  Empire  in  general,  but  also  particularly  with 
regard  to  Louisiana  and  West  Florida,  as  well  as  in 
relation  to  the  interests  in  the  Yd&oo  territory  of  the 
South  Carolina  Company,  whose  general  agent  I  have 
the  honor  to  be,  in  virtue  of  a  unanimous  nomination, 
under  the  seal  and  formal  diploma  of  the  chief  director  and 
of  the  other  proprietors  of  an  extensive  territorial  conces- 
sion in  the  vicinity  of  your  government,  finally  granted 
to  them  by  the  State  of  Georgia ;  the  weighty  political 
beanag  of  my  negotiation  with  you,  and  the  propriety 
of  yomr  being  made  acqutonted  with  the  general  design 
of  our  plan,  before. my  arrival  and  my  presenting  to  you 
my  fuU  credentials,  with  other  authentic  documents, 
which  clothe  me  with  the  moft  extensive  and  confidential 
poweia^  and  which  I  J^iall  communicate  to  you  with  my 
chaxiietemtior  fran]p[Less;  the  obligations  resultii^  from 
the  piiiblic  BitiiKfcion  in  which  I  am,  as  well  as  my  ho^ural 
dispon^oii^^toicoQtribate  tp  tho  gloi^y  imd  l^rospei^  of 
tiur^j^Srowik  whichryoii  B&rve  (whieh  disposition  is  quite 


Sr' 


tLAJX  or  THE  BOUTd  OABOLUTA  OOMPAmr. 


280 


notorious  at  the  Spanisli  Oourt,  through  the  informatlou 
aflforded  by  ite  minister  at  New  York  and  the  Governor 
of  St.  Augustine,  who,  from  abundant  experience,  can 
testify  to  it) : — ^All  these  motives  now  prompt  me  to 
address  you,  in  order  to  give  in  advance  the  following 
intelli<?ence.  which  you  will  examine  in  your  moments 
of  leisure. 

"The  affair  which  I  have  the  honor  to  lay  before  you 
is  pregnant  with  events  of  the  greatest  importance, 
which  must  promptly  and  inevitably  be  brought  forth, 
if  opportunely  favored  by  the  court  of  Spain  and  your- 
self, and  which  are  such,  that,  even  in  the  eye  of  the 
most  indifferent,  they  must  assume  proportions  of  the 
most  considerable  magnitude.  This  great  project  was 
conceived  by  myself,  a  long  time  ago.  Through  my 
persuasion  and  influence  the  members  of  the  General 
Company,  who,  in  particular,  ar;  1*11  dissatisfied  with  the 
present  Federal  Government,  have,  immediately  and 
spontioneously,  fallen  in  with  my  plan,  for  the  execution 
of  which,  considering  that  it  was  my  conceptir  a,  they 
have  appointed  me  their  delegate  as  one  of  the  twenty 
proprietors  of  the  concession,  with  plenary  powers  to 
complete  it,  as  you  will  see  after  m^  arrival.  At  the 
same  time  that  this  impoii/ant  aiiair  was  in  agitation, 
and  progressing  among  the  most  influential  members  of 
the  Legislature  of  Georgia,  the  Company  was  honoring 
me  with  their  entire  confidence;  and,  withbut  their 
having  suspected  in  the  beginning  what  I  was  aiming 
at,  I  insoMibly  prevailed  upon  them  to  acquiesce  in  my 
political  views  (after  the  obtaining  of  the  concession), 
and  led  them  to  consent  to  be  the  slaves  of  Spain,* 
under  the  appearance  of  a  ^cee  and  independent  State, 
forouj^g  a  rampart  fov  the  adjoiiiing  Spanish  tenitorieiS) 
and  establkMikg  with  theni  ka  eteriial,  reciprocal  ajli- 

*  EboIstob  d«  la  Es|>alia     ' 

19 


•«., 


m 


1 1  , 


« 


1     i; 


h  !t 


k 


290 


PLA27  or  THB  SOUTH  OAROLOTA  COMfAlfT. 


anoe,  ofliBiisive  and  defensive.  This,  for  a  beginning, 
when  onoe  docured  with  the  greatest  secrecy,  will  sisrve, 
I  am  fully  persuaded,  as  an  example  to  be  followed  by 
the  settlements  on  the  western  side  of  the  mountains, 
which  will  separate  from  the  Atlantic  portion  of  the 
confederacy,  because,  on  account  of  the  advantages  which 
they  will  expect  from  the  privilege  of  trading  with  our 
colony,  under  the  protection  of  Spain,  they  will  unite 
with  it  in  the  same  manner  and  as  closely  as  are  the  At- 
lantic States  with  France,  receiving  from  it  every  assist- 
ance in  war,  and  relying  on  its  power  in  the  moment 
of  danger.  In  order  to  induce  the  Company  to  pursue 
this  course,  I  refused  to  take  any  share  in  the  enterprise 
under  any  other  conditions ;  and,  in  order  to  confirm 
their  hostility  to  Congress,  which  then  was  acting  des- 
potically, as  well  as  to  the  President  and.  his  ministers, 
who  were  opposing  their  pretensions,  I  used  indirect 
means,  which  decided  them  to  ibrm  the  resolution  of 
separating  themselves  from  the  Union,  and  of  removing 
with  their  families,  dependents,  and  eflfects,  to  their  con- 
ceded territory,  with  the  determination,  if  Spain  favored 
them,  not  to  subject  themselves,  nor  the  numerous  colo- 
ny which  they  will  soon  form,  to  the  administration  of 
Congress  or  of  Washington.  The  individuals  ii^terested 
in  that  concession  are  gentlemen  of  the  greatest  influ- 
ence, power,  and  talent,  among  the  most  gifted  in  the 
confederacy ;  and  they  are  sure  of  having,  within  eighteen 
months  after  the  date  of  their  first  settlement,  ten  thou- 
sand men  established  on  their  territory  and  capable  of 
bearing  arms.  All  that  they  desire  from  the  Spanish 
Grown  for  their  projected  establishment,  is  a  secret  co- 
operatiouy  which,  in  reality,  will  soon  ripen  into  a  sincere 
fHendship.  I  assure  you  thisit  Spidn  Tdll  obtain  every- 
thing from  them  in  return,  except  the  sfMsifioe  ^  their 
liberty  of  conscience  aul  of  their  civil  govemiaeni    I 


f^^  O*FALLO1I*0  CRBDSRTXAIS. 


291 


Lirniag, 
i  serve, 
ired  by 

of  the 
swbioli 
ith  our 
Jl  unite 
tlie  At- 
ry  aasist- 
momeQt 
o  pursue 
ttterprise 
.  conftrm 
iting  de8- 
miniaters, 
L  indirect 
lution  of 
removing 
their  con- 
n  favored 
jrous  colo- 
tration  of 
bterested 
itest  iuflu- 
»d  in  tlie 
n  eighteen 
ten  thou- 
»pable  of 

le  Spanisli 
secret  co- 
bo  a  sincere 
\MR  every- 
toeif^tlieir 
nilnent.    1 


affirm  all  tluB,  because  I  am  authorized  to  do  so  by  the 
plenary  powers  which  they  have  given  me,  both  in  writ- 
ing and  verbally,  as  will  appear  by  my  secret  instruc*  «^ 
tions,  which  I  shiill  communicate  to  yon  with  the  utmost 
Rincerity  on  my  arrival.  For  I  intend,  in  my  proceed- 
iiligs,  to  keep  aloof  from  all  dissimulation  whatever. 

'^  Whilst  the  Company  was  making  the  most  strenuous 
efforts  to  obtain  their  concession,  in  which  two  years 
were  s^KJi-etly  employed,  I  was  corresponding  with  Don 
Diego  Gardoqui  in  New  York,  and  with  the  Governor 
of  East  Florida,  through  my  intimate  fnend.  Captain 
Charles  Howard,  the  Secretary  of  that  province.  At 
the  same  time,  at  the  request  of  the  same  minister,  I  was 
confidentially  engaged  in  obtaining  for  the  court  of  Spain 
information  of  the  highest  importance,  in  relation  to 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  and  was  also  work- 
ing to  procure  the  emigration  of  ten  thousand  Irish, 
American,  and  German  families  to  the  deserts  of  East 
Florida.  In  order  to  bring  these  affairs  to  an  end,  I  was 
preparing  to  follow  that  minister  to  Madrid,  when,  in 
spite  of  Congress  and  the  President,  the  Legislature  of 
Georgia,  as  it  were  unanimously,  conceded  to  the  South 
Carolina  Company,  the  Virginia  Company,  and  the  Ten-  ,  ? 
ncssee  Company,  the  territories  which  they  had  re- 
spectively sued  for  in  the  vicinity  of  your  government : 
m  consequence  of  which,  these  Companies  found  them- 
selves incorporated  and  organized  by  an  a«t  of  that  Le* 
gislatnre,  and,  by  virtue  of  said  incorporation  and  oi^ani' 
zation,  were  empowered,  under  the  sanction  of  the  new 
federal  constitution  and  authorities,  and  against  the  will 
andvrisbes  of  the  President  andof  someof  hismixusters, 
to  treat  and  negotiate  in  relation  to  thep  <eoiitempl8ted 
colonizadon*     - 

'*'ln  this  conjunctttre,  J  fully,  infonned  the  miniiaAei* 
Gardoqui,  and  the  Governor  of  St.  Auguetiire,  of  the  cir- 


' .-' 


«^ 


rfi 


202      SCHEME  TO  SET  UP  AN  IKDEPEKDENT  OOTSBNMENT. 

ciimstftiiceB  that  had  occnrred,  and  of  the  intention  of  a 
few  members  of  the  Company  to  hare  reconrse  to  Qreat 
Britain  for  their  own  private  views  and  benefit.  It  was 
in  my  power  to  cause  that  disposition  to  evaporate,  and, 
the  better  to  obtain  this  result,  I  abandoned  the  project 
of  introducing  families  into  West  Florida.  I  then  sue- 
oceded  in  persuading  them  as  I  wished,  and,  with  the 
view  of  conciliating  the  interests  of  the  company  with 
those  of  Spain,  I  consented  to  be  appointed  their  general 
agent  to  negotiate  with  you,  as  I  have  already  expressed 
it  above,  and  thereby  be  enabled  to  treat  for  the  esta- 
blishment of  the  new  colony,  combining  their  interests 
with  those  of  Louisiana,  on  principles  of  reciprocal  ad- 
vantage and  defence. 

"  These  premises  being  taken  for  granted,  it  remains 
Por  me  to  inform  you  that,  some  time  in  June  next,  I 
intend  to  depart  for  New  Orleans  in  order  to  have  frank, 
sincere  and  unreserved  conference^  with  you  on  these 
matters.  I  will  do  nothing  without  your  approbation 
and  consent,  because  I  aim  at  nothing  else  than  serving 
the  interests  of  Spain,  to  which  I  am  hereditarily 
attached,  abandoning  all  other  pursuit,  more  lucrative 
for  my  family,  in  order  merely  to  follow  the  bent  of  my 
inclination.  I  need  not  say  to  you  how  much  the  Com 
pany  and  myself  rely  on  your  honor,  secrecy,  and  good 
will,  on  which  depends  our  security,  as  you  may  infer 
fi'om  what  I  have  so  ingenuously  related.  The  Company 
waitu  only  for  your  determination,  in  order  to  carry  its 

plan  into  execution  in  a  short  time,  <&c.,  <&c. 

*  *  •  *  «  • 

**The  plan  of  the  Company,  with  your  co-operation, 
will  contribute  not  a  little  to  procure  the  utmost  credit 
for  your  administration,  immortalizing  your  nfone  as  that 
of  one  of  the  most  useful  vassals  of  the  crown  of  Spain, 
and  the  political  fnth  w  of  Louisiana. '  Events  will  soou 


WILKINBO.N'H  OFINION   OF  oVaLLON. 


298 


happen,  in  which  I  must  inevitably  a<st  with  yon  in 
conformity  to  all  voup  deHues." 

On  the  20th  oi  June,  Wilkinson  wrote  from  Frank 
fort,  Kentucky,  to  Governor  Mir6 :  "  Sir,  ainco  my  last 
letter  of  the  20th  of  May,  I  have  had  several  favorable 
occasions  to  converse  with  Dr.  OTallon,  general  agent 
of  the  South  Carolina  Company  in  Yazoo,  and  I  have 
the  satisfaction  to  be  able  to  assure  you  that  his  plan, 
his  principles  and  his  designs  agree  perfectly  with  ours. 
At  the  beginning,  he  operated  with  much  precaution, 
concealing  his  true  intentions,  until  having  sounded  me, 
and  I  not  fearing,  to  unlx>som  myself  to  him,  he  opened 
to  me  his  breast,  and  I  found  his  sentiments  to  be  so 
uniformly  like  mine,  that  he  won  much  on  my  cooAdence. 
I  believe,  however,  that  it  is  my  duty  to  inform  you, 
that  he  appears  to  be  a  man  of  a  light  character,  al- 
though he  is  not  lacking  in  education  and  intelligence, 
because,  at  his  time  of  life,  being  foHy-flve  years  old* 
and  with  many  gray  hairs,  he  allows  his  flightiness  and 
puerile  vanity  to  peep  out.  But,  if  the  sentiments  which 
he  invariably  expresses  are  to  be  believed  (and  1  am 
inclined  to  put  faith  in  them),  he  is  a  great  fnend  to 
Spain. 

"He  wiites  to  you,  by  this  occasion,  in  terms  which, 
I  flatter  myself,  will  be  agreeable  to  you.  I  have  in- 
duced him  to  do  so,  because  I  thought  it  proper  that 
you  should  have  a  pledge  for  his  not  retracting  the  sen- 
timents which  he  has  manifested  to  me  and  by  which 
he  has  gaic^d  my  confidence." 

On  the  10th  of  August,  Mir6  sent  to  his  government 
copies  of  all  the  preceding  correspondence,  and  a  de- 
tailed account  of  what  he  had  done  in  relation  to  the 
imrortant  matters  which  had  been  submitted  to  Itis 
consideration,  "O'FaUon's  propositions,"  said  Mir6, 
"  which  he  alleges  t<    be  founded  mi  credentials  which 


^^^  i 

■i"*!:-       -J 
iV"   *  t ■  "SI 

^.,   .fi  'Wit. 


294 


MIB6^8  oAunous  besebye. 


Si' 


h6  will  cfxhibit  on  his  arrival,  require  tlie  most  serious 
reflections,  because  it  is  necessary  to  weigh  the  advan- 
tages resulting  from  their  being  accepted,  with  the  dan- 
ger of  permitting  such  a  settlement  in  such  close  conti- 
guity with  the  possessions  of  his  Majesty,  or  to  speak 
more  to  the  point,  of  taking,  as  it  were,  a  foreign  State 
to  hoa/rd  with  tos.  I  will  therefore  presume  to  offer  to 
you  a  few  observations,  which  my  very  limited  intelli- 
gence suggests  to  me,  in  order  that  they  may  serve  as 
materials  which  may  be  of  some  use  to  you  in  proposing 
to  his  Majesty  what  you  may  deem  best.  With  regard 
to  myself,  I  consider  as  too  hazardous  my  venturing 
to  express  a  precise  and  positive  opinion  on  so  delicate 
a  subject."  ^ 

After  this  exceedingly  modest  exordium,  Mir6  pro- 
ceeds to  handle  with  some  assurance  what  he  had  appa- 
rently approached  with  such  timidity.  He  said  that, 
According  to  a  plan  transmitted  Jo  him  by  General 
Wilkinson,  the  inferior  limit  of  the  territory  conceded 
to  the  South  Carojina  Company  was  at  a  water-coui'se 
called  Cole's  Creek,  eighteen  miles  above  Natchez;  ex- 
tending to  the  33d  degree  of  latitude,  thirty  miles  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo.  "  The  whole  of  which  terri- 
tory," said  Miro,  "belongs  to  his  Majesty,  from  the  bank 
of  the  Mississippi  to  landward,  for  120  miles,  east  and 
west,  more  or  less,  where  begin  the  possessions  of  the 
Indians.  These  lands  are  very  rich,  particularly  those 
belonging  to  his  Majesty.  The  United  States  have  not 
consented  so  far  to  have  their  limits  determined  in  that 
region,  and  maintain  the  right  which,  in  their  opinion, 
they  derive  from  their  treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Bri- 
tain, unduly  granting  them  a  portion  of  the  banks  of 
the  river  Mississippi,  down  to  the  3l8t  degree,  which  is 
to  be  found  fit  thirty-six  miles  below  the  fort  of  Natchez. 
Th6y  labor  wi^  incessant  ardor  to  gain  the  Indian 


# 


4; 


HIBO  dLJXD  THE  BOITEH  OAKOXJNA  COMPANY.        296 


nations,  because,  no  doubt,  they  look  upon  them  as  a 
barrier  which  now  prevents  them  fi-om  taking  possession 
of  the'  territory  which  they  claim;  whilst  these  tribes 
would  help  them  to  it,  if  friendly.  Should. the  plan  of 
colonization  of  the  South  Carolina  Company  be  peimit- 
ted  to  be  carried  into  execution,  all  the  hupes  of  the 
United  States  would  vanish,  or  at  least  they  would  find 
it  no  trifling  enterpiise  to  send  an  army  in  order  to  gain 
their  point,  and  the  territory  still  retained  by  his  Ma- 
jesty would  extend  to  eighteen  miles  above  Natchez, 
which  is  the  most  populous  portion  of  the  whole  district. 

"  But  should  the  proposition  made  by  the  South  Caro- 
lina Company  be  rejectod,  Louisiana  would  be  in  con- 
tinual danger  of  being  attacked,  without  the  co-operation 
of  Congress,  by  the  sole  i^orces  of  the  Company,  which 
will  easily  find  in  tha  settlements  on  the  Ohio  such  indi- 
viduals as  it  is  easy  to  incite  unto  wai*  by  tendering 
them  the  hope  of  plunder.  In  that  case,  the  expenses 
which  his  Majesty  would  have  to  incur  in  the  defence 
of  his  possessions  would  be  a  matter  of  serious  con- 
sideration. 

"Among  the  other  advantages  likely  to  result  from 
the  formation  of  that  new  and  independent  State,  which 
would  soon  have  a  large  population,  may  be  ranked  the 
extension  of  commerce  it  would  procure  for  New  Orleans, 
if  declared  a  free  port,  to  which  all  nations  would  then 
resort.  A  slight  duty  on  exports  and  imports  would,  in 
a  few  years,  secure  to  his  Majesty  a  large  revenue. 

"  With  regard  to  the  territory  granted  to  the  Virginia 
Company  in  the  Yazoo  district,  it  extends  from  the 
33d  de^ee,  which  is  the  upper  limit  of  the  other 
Company,  to  34°  40'  north,  comprehending,  on  account 
of  the  sinuosities  of  the  Mississippi,  120  mile^  along 
its  banks  by  120  in  depth.  I  do  not  think  that  we 
have  a  positive  right  to  those^  lands,  which  are  the 


^ 


296     mir6  and  tiie  south  Carolina  cjompani?. 


hunting  grounds  of  the  Chickasaws,  who  could,  with 
justice,  oppose  the  settlement  contemplated  by  the  Vir- 
ginia Company.  As  the  leaders  in  this  Company  act 
from  the  same  motives  which  influence  the  first,  to  wit, 
the  South  Carolina  Company,  what  I  have  said  as  appli<- 
cable  to  the  former,  is  equally  so  to  the  latter,  inasmuch 
as  they  would  both  pursue  the  same  course.  Thia  would 
also  prove  true  in  relation  to  the  Tennessee  Company, 
whose  concession  runs  from  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee 
river  to  about  120  miles  back,  and  belongs  to  the  terri- 
,i  tory  bought  from  the  Chickasaws  and  Cherokees,  The 
course  pursued  by  these  three  Companies  would  reopen 
a  favorable  field  in  Kentucky  and  the  other  Ohio  set- 
tlements for  the  operations  of  Wilkinson,  who,  so  far, 
has  been  working  without  much  success.  These  are  the 
advantages  to  be  expected. 

"But  I  think  that  it  would  be  preferable  for  Spain  to 
people  that  territory  on  her  own  aecount,  rather  than 
yield  it  to  the  South  Carolina  Company.  Its  soil  is 
richer  than  that  of  any  other  portion  of  this  province, 
and  I  know  that  there  are  many  in  America  who  have 
their  eyes  fixed  on  it,  particularly  on  the  part  called 
Walnut  Hills.  Hence  it  results,  that  it  would  be  of  the 
utmost  import,ance  to  people  that  district  with  subjects 
of  his  Majesty,  because,  if  once  thickly  inhabited,  its 
population  would  contribute  to  the  defence  of  Louisiana 
against  any  of  the  machinations  of  the  settlements  on 
the  Ohio,  or  of  the  Virginia  Company  on  the  Yaaoo, 
whose  colony  would  be  contiguous,  should  their  plan  be 
caiTied  into  execution.  It  is  true  that  emigration  to  this 
province  is  slower  than  we  ought  to  have  expected,  from 
the  numerous  offei-s  to  bring  families  here.  Colonel 
Morgan  has  contented  himself  with  makii]^  a  publica- 
tion to  excite  emigration,  but  he  has  remained  inactive 
in  his  residence  of  New  Jersey,  without  in  the  least 


M-i 


» 


mir6  and  the  south  cakolesa  company.      297 


# 


prosecuting  his  plan  of  an  establiskmeut  below  tlxe 
mouth  of  the  Oldo,  whither  he  had  promised  to  move 
immediately,  nor  has  he  written  one  word.  General 
Wilkinson  says  that  Morgan  has  been  checked  in  his 
enterprise  by  the  commercial  privilege  granted  to 
Kentucky. 

"  Should  the  proposition  of  the  South  Carolina  Com- 
pany be  refused,  the  government  ought  to  look  for 
means  to  foster  emigration.  This  leads  me  to  renew  the 
propositions  which  I  have  made,  .to  declare  New  Orleans 
a  free  port  for  all  the  European  nations,  and  even  for  0 
the  United  States  of  America,  and  to  clothe  me.  with  the 
power,  either  to  restrain,  or  stop  altogether,  as  I  may 
deem  it  opportune,  the  commerce  of  Kentucky  and  the 
orher  settlements  on  the  Ohio.  You  will  then  see 
Louisiana  densely  peopled  in  a  few  years,  his  Majesty 
defraying  all  the  expenses  of  the  colony  out  of  the  duties 
which  will  be  collected  in  his  name,  and  out  of  the 
profits  made  on  his  tobacco  purchases,  which  he  will  be 
able  to  effect  at  stUl  lower  prices,  although  tobacco  now 
sells  here  for  less  than  in  any  other  of  hi&  dominions. 

"  I  believe  that  I  am  not  in  error  when  I  affirm,  that 
to  confine  Louisiana  to  trade  with  our  nation,  would  be 
to  ruin  her.  At  this  very  moment,  France  has  the  real 
monopoly  of  the  commerce  of  this  colony,  although  theor- 
retically  and  legally  it  ought  to  be  exclusively  in  the 
hands  of  the  subjects  of  his  Majesty.  The  colonists,  to 
whom  goods  and  merchandise  are  consigned,  have  no 
interest  in  them,  and  merely  lend  their  names  to  the 
true  importers.  Therefore,  if  the  Spaniards  have  no 
share  in  this  trade,  the  whole  profits  of  which  are 
enjoyed  by  the  French,  would  it  not  be  more  advan- 
tageous to  have  it  divided  between  the  English,  the 
Dutch,  Ac,  through  whose  competition  the  inhabitants 
of  Louisiana  would  ^ave  their  wa^ts  supplied  at  a  much 


>tv^ 


# 


M 


i     ' 


«%. 


298      mib5  and  the  south  oarolixa  ooMPAinr. 

cheaper  rate,  and  would  sell  their  produce  higher. 
These  commercial  franchises  would,  as  I  have  said  before, 
greatly  increase  the  population,  and  thereby  secure  to 
his  Majesty  the  possession  of  Louisiana,  which  is  the  key 
of  the  kingdom  of  New  Spain.* 

"This  policy  I  recommend,  in  case  the  proposition  of 
the  South  Carolina  Company  be  rejected,  but  should  it 
be  accepted,  I  think  the  same  policy  equally  adyan-> 
tageous ;  because,  should  a  colony  be  established  by 
that  Company  in  the  territory  it  has  obtained  from 
Georgia,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  the  conformity  of  lan- 
guage, manners,  and  religion,  the  free  and  public  exercise 
of  which  would  be  permitted,  would  draw  thither  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  families  now  established  in  the 
Natchez  district,  thereby  increasing  the  forces  and  power 
of  the  new  State.  So  great  an  evil  would  require  an 
eirtraordinary  remedy,  and  the  only  efficacious  and  ap- 
plicable one  would  be  the  grant  of  a  free  trade  to  Loui- 
siana. The  magnitude  of  the  peril  to  be  obviated  would 
have  to  conquer  the  reluctance  felt  to  make  this  conces- 
sion. 


»? 


:|ll 


Another  danger  had  also  struck  Mir6,  and  impressed 
him  with  serious  misgivings.  Where  was  the  proof  that 
the  Company  was  sincere  in  its  intentions,  and  would 
adhere  to  its  propositions  ?  Would  it  not  devise  some 
means  of  eluding  them  ?  Had  it  not  perhaps,  in  antici- 
pation, prepared  to  do  so,  and  would  it  not  be  ready  for 
the  excuse  in  due  time  ?  Were  it  to  take  possession  of 
the  extensive  domain  which  it  claimed  as  its  own,  and 
were  it  to  establish  there  a  large  population;  how  could 
it  be  dispossessed  if  the  occasion  requu'ed  it  ?  But  should 
these  apprehensions  not  be  weU  founded,  and  not  be  con- 
firmed by  the  ftubsecjuent  actions  of  the  South  Carolina 

*  Llave  del  Reyno  de  Nueva  Espafia. 


* 


■^■•*,. 


m 


!»•• 


'It, 


'^mh^B  SUOOESTIOKS. 


# 


299 


colonists,  would  there  not  be  a  serious  cause  for  fearing 
tkatf  from  the  impulse  of  a  natural  aflBction,  they  would 
be  disposed  to  support  the  United  States  in  their  still 
pending  territorial  pretensions  to  the  Slst  degree  of  lati-  * 
tude,  and  to  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  ? 

"Besides,"  continued  Mir(i,  "it  is  self-evident  that  it 
would  be  extremely  perilous  to  have,  so  close  to  us,  so 
powerful  a  neighbor,  who  might,  without  our  being  able 
to  prevent  him,  prepare  for  the  conquest  of  this  province, 
by  insensibly  providing  himself  with  ai-tillery,  and  all 
the  other  implements  he  might  require  to  execute  his  |i 
design.  The  Crown  could  not  resist  an  enterprise  of  the 
kind,  without  going  to  an  expense  which  it  is  not  able 
to  incur.  Therefore,  should  it  be  determined  not  to 
adopt  the  remedy  which  I  have  proposed  (the  grant  of 
free  trade),  it  is  now  less  difficult  to  prevent  the  esta- 
blishment contemplated  by  the  South  Carolina  Company, 
than  it  would  be  to  meet  successfully  the  fatal  results 
which  it  may  have,  and  we  had  better  prepare  ourselves 
to  act  accordingly." 

Mii'6  then  suggested,  that  it  might  be  proper  to  pursue 
a  middle  course  between  rejecting  and  admitting  the 
propositions  of  the  Company.  It  consisted  in  permitting 
them  to  colonize  the  aforesaid  territory,  on  condition 
that  they  should  declare  themselves  the  subjects  of  his 
Catholic  Majesty,  and  submit  to  the  same  regulations 
imposed  on  all  emigrants.  In  Mir6's  mind,  however, 
sprang  up  another  dark  misgiving.  "  These  peeiple,"  he 
said,  "are  imbued  with  the  conviction  that  those  lands 
belong  to  them  by  purchase,  and,  in  order  to  obtain 
them,  they  may  momentarily  accept  of  all  sorts  of  con- 
ditions.  But  would  they  not  violate  them^  as  soon  , as 
they  should  find  themselves, pow^^  enough  to  do  it 
with  impunity? 

"I  will  now."  continued  M3rd,  "communicate  to  you 


n 


*■ 


!l 


m 


I* 


300        SPAIN  AND  THE  HALF-BBE^  m'oXLLIVBAY. 

I  the  measures  wliicli  I  have  resorted  to,  in  order  to  pre- 

'■  vent  any  one  of  the  three  Companies  from  carrying  its 

scheme  into  execution."  He  then  goes  on  explaining, 
how  he  had  excited  the  hostility  and  secured  the  opposi- 
tion of  all  the  Indian  tribes  to  the  Americans.  "  I  have 
recommended  them,"  says  he,  "  to  remain  quiet,  and  told 
them,  if  these  people  presented  themselves  with  a  view 
to  settle  on  their  lands,  then  to  make  no  concessions  and 
to  warn  them  off;  but  to  attack  them  in  case  they  re- 
fused to  withdraw ;  and  I  have  promised  that  I  would 
^supply  them  with  powder  and  ball,  to  defend  their  legi- 
timate rights." 

With  regard  to  O'Fallon,  Miro  informed  his  govern- 
ment that  he  would  so  demean  himself,  -as  to  permit  that 
mdividual  to  retain  some  hopes  of  success  in  his  mission, 
and  added  that  he  would  endeavor  to  induce  O'Fallon 
to  accompany  him  to  Havana,  whither  he  intended  to 
go  in  October,  to  confer  with  the  Captain-General  on  the 
interesting  matters  which  he  had  to  manage. 

In  those  important  conjunctures,  McGillivray,  the  fa- 
mous chief  of  the  Talapouches,  found  himself  much 
courted  by  the  Spaniards  and  the  Americans.  He  had 
been  invited  by  Washington  to  cease  his  hostilities,  and 
to  repair  to  New  York,  to  confer  on  the  articles  of  a 
definitive  treaty  of  peace.  The  wily  chief  availed  him- 
self of  this  circumstance  with  considerable  skill,  to  raise 
himself  in  the  estimation  of  Mird,  and  to  put  his  services 
If^  at  a  higher  price.    He  wrote  to  that  Governor  that,  al- 

though he  should  conclude  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the 
Federal  Government,  yet  he  would  ever  remain  faithful 
to  his  old  friends  the  Spaniards,  and  he  asked  from  the 
Court  of  Madrid  many  favors,  with  an  annual  stipend 
of  fifteen  thousand  dollars  to  carry  on  hostilities  against 
the  projected  establishment  of  the  South  Carolina  Com- 
pany, if  not  against  the  United  States.    But  he  obtauied 


$, 


%. 


m  ■■ 


THE  CABILDO'S  MEKOBIAL  TO  THE  KINO. 


301 


Only  a  pension  of  two  tlionsand  dollars,  with  a  regular 
salary  for  his  interpreters,  and  the  promise  of  ammnnition, 
arms,  and  other  military  supplies  in  case  of  need.*  The 
whole  correspondence  of  this  half-breed  Indian  warrior 
and  diplomatist  evinces  a  remarkable  degree  of  shrewd- 
ness, information,  and  talent. 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  Louisiana  had  been,  for  several 
years,  the  focus  of  very  important  intrigues,  the  object 
of  which  was  no  less  than  to  destroy  the  great  American 
confederacy  which  had  just  been  formed,  and  which  was 
soon  destined  to  operate  so  powerfully  on  the  rest  of 
the  civilized  world.  But  the  mass  of  the  population  of 
the  colony  had  been  ignorant  of,  and  was  indifferent 
to,  the  plots,  schemes,  and  diplomacy  of  their  rulers. 
A  cause  of  agitation  and  an  object  of  more  immediate 
consequence  to  them,  was  a  royal  schedule,  issued  on  the 
31st  of  May,  1789,  in  relation  to  the  education  and  occu- 
pation to  be  given  to  slaves,  and  the  manner  they  were 
to  be  treated,  in  all  the  dominions  of  his  Catholic 
^  Majesty.  Some  of  the  regulations  it  contained  proved 
exceedingly  unpalatable  in  Louisiana,  and  the  Cabildo 
or  Council  remonstrated  on  them,  on  the  23d  of  July, 
1790,  in  a  document  which  they  addressed  to  the  King. 
His  Majesty,  it  seems,  had  ordered  that  chaplains  should, 
on  every  plantation,  attend  to  the  religious  education  of 
the  negroes.  The  colonists  observed,  that  this  could  not 
be  complied  with  for  several  reasons ;  and  they  might 
have  rested  satisfied  with  the  first,  which  was — ^that  there 
were  not  priests  enough,  even  to  fill  the  curacy  of  every 
parish ;  the  next  was— that  there  were  few  planters  that 
were  not  considerably  in  debt  on  account  of  recent  inun- 
dations and  conflagrations,  and  of  the  scarcity  and  exor- 
bitant price  of  every  necessary  of  life,  wherefore  the 

*  Mir&>  d«spfttoh  of  the  lOta  of  Augiut,  1*790.    MoGOliTray's  letter  to  Mirdi, 
May  eth,  1790 


"'iJiil^S 


i^^. 


..* 


# 


A,- 


^v^ 

•,!j®-. 


''-S^- 


# 


i 


*i  ,■; 


'•#*i^ 


^*r^!i' 


# 


n  1 


fP 


I'M- 


I'  . 


802        THE  gaBxldo^s  memorial  to  the  kino. 

great  mcjority  had  not  the  means  of  paying  tlie  salary 
T^bicli  it  wonld  be  requisite  to  give  to  so  respectable 
a  class  of  men ;  and  besides,  that  a  good  many  of  the 
plantations  were  distant  from  each  other — which  circum- 
stance would  prevent  the  same  chaplain  from  officiating 
on  them ;  that  the  greater  number  of  the  planters  were 
very  poor,  and  their  houses  too  uncomfortable  to  afford 
proper  accommodation  for  the  miaisters  of  the  Gospel. 

With  regard  to  the  article  of  the  schedule  which  re* 
quired  the  sexes  to  be  kept  separate,  they  said  that  it 
was  impossible  to  conform  to  it  without  the  greatest 
inconveniences,  because  the  works  to  be  executed  on, a 
plantation  frequently  required  that  all  the  hands  be 
kept  together,  in  order  to  use  them  to  the  best  advan- 
tage according  to  circumstances;  that  to  divide  the 
hands  would  increase  the  costs  and  trouble  of  supervi- 
sion ;  that  most  of  the  plantei*s  had  only  a  few  negroes, 
with  whom  they  and  their  sons  worked  in  the  field,  and 
that  they  could  not  afford  to  separate  the  males  from 
the  females,  because  they  would  have  no  distinct  occu- 
pation to  give  to  them  respectively ;  that  the  slaves 
labor  under  the  inspection  of  their  masters,  and  of 
the  sons,  or  overseers  of  their  masters ;  that  the  work 
is  proportioned  to  the  sex,  the  strength,  the  age,  and 
the  health  of  each  of  them,  and  that  no  abuser  have 
resulted  from  both  sexes  working  together;  that  even 
admitting  that  the  vigilance  of  their  superiors  should  be 
at  fault,  the  slaves  would  be  prevented  from  indulging 
in  certain  excesses  by  the  fatigues  of  the  body,  which  are 
their  best  corrective,  although  their  laJboi-s  are  moderate, 
and  ample  time  is  allowed  them  for  their  own  benefit 
and  ptirposes,  according  to  the  intentions  of  his  Majesty. 
J.n*  relation  to  the  amusements  which  the  slaves  were 
permitted  to  enjoy  on  every  holiday,  after  having  dis- 
charged their  religious  duties,  without  their  being  per- 


ft 


f 


*.. 


TBE  OABILDO'S  MEHOBIAL  TO  THE  KIKC 


808 


mitted  to  go  from  one  plantation  to  another,  the  Cabildo 
remarked  that  this  ooold  be  applicable  to  the  large 
estates  only.  **But,"  said  they/*  where  there  are  only 
three  or  four  slaves,  how  could  they  divert  themselves, 
if  the  sexes  Avere  separated?  "Would  they  not  grow 
desperate  when  hearing  the  distant  sounds  of  dancing 
and  music,  without  being  able  to  join  in  the  festival?" 

As  to  the  prohibition  in  relation  to  the  working  of 
negroes  on  holidays,  the  Cabildo  observed  that  it  was, 
occasionally,  impossible  to  do  otherwise,  because  it  be- 
came necessary,  at  times,  not  to  keep  the  Sabbath  m 
order  not  to  lose  the  fruits  of  the  labors  of  the  whole 
year ;  but  that  the  negi-oes  were  either  compensated  for 
it  in  money,  or  were  allowed  other  days  of  rest  in  the 
place  of  those  which  had  been  taken  away  from  them. 

As  to  the  article  in  the  royal  schedule  wl^ich  enjoined 
the  marriage  of  the  slaves,  the  Cabildo  declared  that  it 
was  the  most  critical  and  difficult  of  all  the  obligations 
imposed  by  the  King  upon  the  planters,  because  the 
master  would  frequently  not  have  the  means  of  buying 
the  female  that  his  slave  might  choose,  or  the  master  of 
the  female  might  also  not  be  in  a  situation  to  purchase 
the  male ;  and,  besides,  because  such  forced  sales  and 
purchases  would  give  rise  to  frauds,  heart-burnings,  and 
many  other  inconveniences  which  are  self-evident  and 
need  no  description.  "  On  the  other  hand,"  they  said, 
"negroes  have  an  almost  insuperable  aversion  to  mar- 
riage, and  the  efforts  which  have  been  made  to  establish 
and  encourage  that  institution  among  them  have  always 
proved  fruitless.  The  habits,  contrary  to  it,  among 
those  living  maohines,  are  so  powerBil,  that  all  attempts 
to  persuftde  them  to  receive  from  the  church  that  sacra- 
mcjnt  have  been  foiled  so  lar.  To  force  it  upon  them 
would  produce  general  discontent,  and  perfiaps  the  worst 


** 


m 


# 


t 


I   iS 


■^ 


804 


THE  OABILDO'S  MEMORIAL  Tu  TUE  KINO. 


■ 

m 

^wl^Hii 

ilHi 

IHHHii 

Ei9IHRHR|ffl^^H^H| 

m 

m 

1 

rfi  MBWa 

1 

H 

4 


i 


^ 


consequences.*  The  masters  would  infallibly  lose  some 
of  their  slaves,  who  would  run  away,  if  eny  compulsion 
was  used  to  make  them  contract  real  marriages,  on  ac- 
count of  their  conviction  that  it  would  be  subjecting 
them  to  the  evils  of  a  double  servitude,  and  that  mar- 
riage is  a  source  of  disgusts  and  miseries  produced  by 
thr  continual  discords  which  it  breeds  among  those  of 
their  class,  and  from  which  celibacy  is  free,  in  which  opi- 
nion they  are  confirmed  by  a  long  experience. 

"  Although  the  article  10,"  continued  the  Cabildo, 
"  relative  to  the  prevention  of  excessive  punishments  by 
the  masters  and  overseere,  is  dictated  by  th«,^  spirit  of 
prudence  and  those  feelings  of  humanity  which  are  na- 
tural to  the  soul  of  your  Majesty,  still  it  otters,  sire,  to 
the  indocile  and  unquiet  character  of  the  negroes  a  vast 
field  for  machinations  against  their  masters,  by  inducing 
them  to  institute  against  said  masters  continual  lawsuits 
founded  on  complaints  suggesteti  to-them  by  their  dis- 
satisfied and  rebellions  humor,  aad  on  pretexts  which 
they  will  invent  according  to  their  own  fancy  and  to 
suit  their  own  pui'poses.  Notwithstanding  that  the  en- 
lightened uprightness  of  the  tribunals  is  a  guaranty  in 
favor  of  the  mastere,  that  they  shall  not  be  punished 
without  well  authenticated  causes,  still  when  the  com- 
plaints against  them  shall  have  been  proved  to  be  mali- 
cious, no  chastisement  inflicted  on  the  negroes  can  be  a 
sufficient  indemnification  for  the  loss  of  time  and  other 
damages  which   they  shall  suffer,  whilst  their  slaves, 

*  Siendo  maa  poderoaa  la  costoinbre  contraria  en  eata  gente  maqainal  que 
todaa  laa  perauasionea  con  que  ae  intente  reducirloa  a  deapoaarao  por  la  Igleaia; 
de  modo  que  el  oblJgarloa  a  ello  aeria  indubitablemente  on  mdtiro,  no  aolo  de 
general  deacontento  aino  acaeo  de  peaimaa  conaequenciaa.  Eatoa  amoa  perderian 
infaliblemente  algunoa  de  aua  eaclavoa  que  ae  irian  profugoa^  ai  ae  lea  quiaiese 
Bugetar  a  eoutraer  verdaderoa  matrimonioa,  por  la  preocnpaeion  qve  reina  entre 
ellos  de  aer  eaa  una  doble  eaolavitud,  y  un  manantial  de  diagnatos  por  laa  diaoor- 
diaa  oontinnaa  que  tieaen  loa  oaaadoade  eats  claae,  j  de  que  riven  ezent4Mloaqne 
no  lo  lOD,  aereditado  uno  y  otro  por  larga  experienoia  entre  los  ncgroa. 


m 


.# 


# 


'*f 


S: 


BOine 
ilaion 
m  ac- 
jcting 
iiiav- 
>d  by 
ose  of 
jh  opi- 

abildo, 

intsby 

irit  of 

we  na* 

Bire,  to 

3  a  vast 

aducmg 

lawsuits 

lieir  dis' ' 

wbicli 

and  to 

the  ett- 

anty  in 

unislied 

le  com- 

»e  mali- 

mbe  a 

c\  other 

slaves, 

llalgleaia: 
Ino  solo  de 
I  perderian 
les  qnuiese 
jreina  entre 
[las  dUoor* 


;*'V 


t 


THE  OABILDO^S  IIXMORIAL  TO  THE  KITTO. 


30.5 


ander  the  pretext  of  suing  for  justice,  will  abandon  their 
iabon,  and  will  compel  their  masters  to  suspend  the 
cultivation  of  their  estates,  in  order  to  account  for  their 
conduct,  or  that  of  their  overseers.  To  this  must  be 
added  the  disgrace  of  their  being  confronted  with  their 
own  slaves.  It  would  be  enough  to  discourage  a  large 
number  of  the  planters,  and  cause  them  to  renounce  the 
pursuits  of  agriculture  in  order  to  avoid  seeing  them- 
selves so  frequently  and  so  causelessly  exposed  to  vexa- 
tions and  contumelies." 

This  is  a  mere  condensed  abstract  from  the  long  pub- 
lication addressed  by  the  Cabildo  or  Ayuntamiento  of 
Louisiana  to  the  King,  and  which  is  an  interesting  docu- 
ment, well  worthy  of  an  entu'e  perusal,  as  embodying 
the  views  and  feelings  of  the  community  on  the  peculiar 
organism  of  an  institution,  which  has  so  entwined  itself 
round  the  very  vitals  of  the  Southern  States,  that,  be  it 
continued,  modified,  or  extinguished,  it  must,  in  its  ulti- 
mate results,  exercise  for  centuries,  if  not  for  ever,  socially 
and  politically,  for  good  or  for  eyil,  the  most  direct, 
powerful,  and  incessant  influence  on  their  condition,  their 
prosperity,  and  their  very  existence. 

It  seems  that  Mir6,  during  his  long  residence  in 
Louisiana,  had  not  become  sufficiently  enamored  with  it 
to  forget  good  old  Spain,  and  that  he  had  applied  several 
times  to  be  permitted  to  return  to  the  land  of  his  ances- 
tors and  of  his  birth.  On  the  12th  of  October,  he  wrote 
again  to  the  Count  de  Campo  Alanga,  the  minister  of 
the  department  of  the  Indies,  to  be  employed  at  home 
in  that  department,  and  he  founded  his  pretensions  on 
his  knowledge  of  the  French  and  English  languages,  and 
his  long  and  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  a£^rs  of 
America,  on  whiqh  he  h^  obtained,  as  he  alleged,  the 
most  minute  and  varied  information  during  his  protracted 
residence  on  that  continent.     "  I  have  now  had  the 


^i'. 


Ir 


• 


i! 

■1 

I 


I 


,-'-i,^^>^t'-    ■■'■■ 


-'«, 


'  J.te   S?  ■'■  "^f v,V,2 


I 


p 


it 


"*■ 


B06 


APpRBHRKSIONS  OF  AN  SNl.  abQ  WAB. 


honor,^  said  he, ''  of  Berving  the  King,  always  with  dis> 
tiuguished  zeal,  for  thirty  years  and  three  months,  of 
which,  twenty-one.  years  and  eight  months  in  America, 
until  the  state  of  my  health  requires  my  return  to 
Europe." 

This  year,  the  people  of  Louisiana  again  suffered  exten* 
sively  from  the  inundations  of  the  Mississippi.  They 
were  also  greatly  disquieted  by  the  apprehensions  of  a 
war  with  Great  Britain,  on  account  of  the  high  grounds 
taken  by  that  power  towards  Spain  in  regard  to  the 
settlement  at  Nootka  Sound.  An  invasion  of  Louisiana 
by  the  British  from  Canada  was  a  cause  of  serious  fears 
in  the  colony,  and  became  a  subject  of  consideration 
even  for  the  General  Government  of  the  United  States. 
Washington  had  to  turn  his  attention  to  the  course  he 
would  pursue,  should  a  passage  be  asked  by  Great 
Britain  for  her  troops  through  the  territory  of  the 
United  States,  or  should  that  passage  be  effected  with- 
out permission.  These  circumstances  were  considered  by 
the  United  States  as  the  most  favorable  they  could  have, 
to  press  their  claim  to  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi; 
and  Carmichael,  their  charge-d'affaires  at  Madrid,  was 
instructed,  not  only  to  urge  this  demand  with  the  most  ^ 
tenacious  earnestness,  but  also  to  aim  at  putting  the  use  ' 
of  that  river  beyond  the  reach  of  molestation  or  dispute 
for  the  future,  by  obtaining  foi  the  United  States  the 
island  of  New  Orleans  and  the  Floridas.  The  United 
States  were  not  then  ready  to  give  millions  for  such  an 
acquisition,  "  but,"  said  they  to  Spain,  "  the  friendship 
of  the  United  States  gained  by  this  liberal  transaction, 
and  the  security  which  that  friendship  would  procure 
for  the  dominions  of  Spain  on  the  West  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, would  be  a  fair  and  sufficient  equivalent  for  the 
desired  cession.  Not  only  would  the  tJnited  States  have 
uo  object  in  crossing  that  stream,  but  their  real  interest 

41 


¥ 


NBOOTlATIOirS  BBTWXBIT  SPAIN  A  WD  THE  U.  8.    807 

would  (tlso  require  tbat  Spain  should  retain  the  immense 
posMeB^ions  she  clpiraed  to  the  West  of  it*  Besides,  the 
navigation  of  the  Mtdsissippi  is  of  such  absolute  neceasit}- 
to  the  United  States,  that  they  must,  sooner  or  later, 
acquire  it,  either  through  separate  action  and  by  the 
exertion  of  their  own  individual  power,  or  in  conjunction 
with  Great  Britain.  This  is  the  decree  of  Providence, 
written  on  the  very  map  of  the  Continent  of  America, 
and  therefore  it  cannot  be  resisted  by  human  agency, 
however  obstinate  aod  powerful  it  may  be  in  its  opposi- 
tion. Was  it  not  the  part  of  wisdom  to  anticipate  an 
irresistible  event,  and  make  the  most  of  it,  by  gently 
and  peacefully  facilitating  its  accomplishment,  which 
otherwise  woidd  inevitably  be  brought  about  by  vio- 
lence ?" — Such  was  the  language  of  the  United  States, 
but  it  ffiiled  to  obtain  from  Spain  the  boon  which  they 
craved.  She,  probably,  had  some  misgivings  as  to  the 
duration  of  their  promised  friendship,  if  they  once  ex- 
tended their  c  pire  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi, 
from  the  luoutu  of  the  Ohio  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Some  sudden  and  unexpected  cause  of  quarrel  might 
easily  occui  from  the  very  proximity  of  the  two  flags; 
which  the  width  only  of  the  river  would  separate  ;  and 
should  thus  the  two  nations  bend  their  necks  to  drink 
from  the  same  stream,  one  of  them  might  complain  that 
the  already  turbid  waters  of  the  Mississippi  were  made 
still  more  so  by  the  other,  and  might  turn  into  reality 
the  fable  of  the  wolf  and  the  lamb.  As  to  the  assertion 
that  the  United  States  would  never  have  any  interest 
nor  feel  any  temptation  to  cross  the  river,  it  is  probable 
that  Old  Spain  shook  her  experienced  head  at  the  bold- 
ness of  the  declaration  and  at  the  credulity  which  it  im- 
plied on  her  part.    Sho  well  knew,  on  the  contrary, 

*  Martin'*  History  of  I<ouisi«na,  vol  i'i,  pblO& 


m 


-t 


308 


FAILURE   OF  MIB6'8  SCHEMES. 


■dl 

v$ 


m 


that,  if  the  young  giaut  of  the  wilderness  or.ce  planted 
his  foot  on  the  left  bank  of  the  mighty  river,  he  would 
ere  long  leap  across  it,  as  if  it  wore  a  puny  rivulet,  and 
that,  in  the  exulting  consciousness  of  his  growing  and 
unconquerable  strength,  and,  with  the  rough  club 
borrowed  from  his  native  forests,  beating  down  the 
flag  and  crushing  the  polished  panoply  of  chivalrous  and 
time-honored  Spain,  he  would  soon  stride  across  Texjis 
towards  the  fat  provinces  of  Mexico  and  the  halls  of  the 
Aztec  emperors.  She  cocld  well  re^d  the  book  of  des- 
tiny, but  she  thought  that  she  had  no  immediate  interest 
in  hastening  the  events  which  were  registered  in  that 
immortal  record  of  the  decrees  of  Providence. 

The  year  1791  found  Miro  still  the  unwilling  governor 
of  Louisiana.  But  his  intrigues  in  the  West  and  South, 
to  operate  a  dismemberment  of  the  territory  of  the 
Union,  seem  to  have  been  slackening,  either  from  the 
expectation  that  he  was  soon  to  be- recalled,  or  from 
distrust  ill  his  agents  and  doubts  of  the  final  success  of 
his  effoi"ts. 

Having  been  blamed  for  the  quantity  of  tobacco 
which  he  had  bought,  the  preceding  year,  for  the 
account  of  the  government,  he  wrote  to  the  Cabinet  of 
Madrid,  on  the  17th  of  January,  to  explain  the  motives 
by  which  he  had  been  influenced,  and  to  show  that  the 
King  had  obtained  a  considerable  pecuniary  gain  by 
^'that  operation;  and,  on  the  20th  of  April,  he  returned 
to  the  same  subject,  recommending  large  purchases  of 
tobacco,  and  expressing  the  opinion,  that  the  carrying 
on  of  an  exiiensive  trade  with  the  West  would  be  the 
only  means  of  protecting  Louisiana  against  the  resent- 
ment of  the  American  settlements  on  the  Ohio. 

It  appears  by  another  of  Miro's  despatches,  that  the 
whole  revenue  derived  by  the  Government  from  the 
commerce  of  Louisiana^  including  the  net  produce  of  the 


4r 


REVENUE  OP  LOUISIANA  IN   lT90. 


306 


i'-m 


seizure  and  sale  of  contraband  goods,  amounted,  in 
1790,  to  529,304  silver  reales,  or  $66,163. 

On  the  18tli  of  May,  the  King,  alarmed  at  the  revo- 
lutionary ideas  which  seemed  to  spread  with  fearful 
rapidity,  had  recourse  to  an  expedient,  which  provokes 
a  smile,  and  which  does  not  redound  much  to  the  credit 
of  the  inventive  faculties  of  the  royal  brains,  or  of  those 
of  his  advisers.  It  consisted  in  the  prohibition  of  the 
introduction  into  Louisiana  of  boxes,  clocks,  and  coin, 
stamped  with  the  figure  of  a  woman  dressed  in  white 
and  holding  a  banner  in  her  hand,  with  this  inscription : 
Americcm  Liberty.  It  was  feared  that  there  might  be 
a  tongue  and  a  voice  in  these  inanimate  objects.  So 
much  for  the  year  1791.  But,  in  1352,  where  is  in  the 
world  the  humble  cottage  and  the  royal  palace  in  which 
the  influence  of  American  Liberty  is  not  felt,  despite 
the  proscription  of  this  hateful  inscription  ? 

The  French  revolution,  which  had  coiiimenced  in 
1789,  had  produced  one  in  St.  Domingo  in  1791,  in 
that  part  of  the  island  which  belonged  to  Fiance.  The 
negroes,  who,  by  a  decree  of  the  Natioiial  Convention 
sitting  in  Paris,  had  been  assimilated  to  the  whites, 
being  stimulated  to  go  beyond  the  granted  equality, 
and  to  claim,  not  only  superiority  over  their  brethren 
who  could  not  boast  of  a  black  skin,  but  also  the  exclu- 
sive enjoyment  of  life  and  property  to  their  detriment^ 
rose  upon  those  who  had  been  their  former  masters,  and 
butchered  them  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex.  Those 
who  escaped  from  the  teiider  mercies  of  the  new-fledged, 
dark-faced  freemen  and  citizens  of  France,  fled  to  Cuba, 
Jamaica,  the  United  States,  and  Louisiana.  Among  the 
refugees  who  sought  an  asylum  in  New  Orleans,  was  a 
company  of  comedians  from  Cape  Fran9ais,  who  opened 
a  theatre  a  short  time,  after  their  arrival.  From  that 
circumstance  dates  the  origin  of  regular  di'amatic  ezhi- 


W* 


% 


'.'•mm 

t 


.i.:^m^ 


.k' 


310 


MIBo's  DEPARTURE. 


fi:'  ',*?;. 


.41 


bitions  in. New  Orleans.  The  new  comers  sought  tc 
make  a  living  in  the  best  way  they  could,  and  more 
than  one  wealthy  sugar  planter,  more  than  one  pam- 
pered son  of  fortune,  in  days  which  had  yamshed  like  a 
,<iream,  were  seen  opening  humble  schools,  and  became 
teachers  of  the  alphabet,  and  of  dancing,  fencing,  or  fid- 
dling. They  were  not  few,  those  who  were  reduced 
even  to  lower  occupations.  But  they  generally  bore 
their  misfortunes  with  becoming  fortitude  and  dignity, 
and  some  rose  again  to  rank  and  wealth. 

The  administration  of  Miro  terminated  *with  the  year 
1791.  This  oflScer  sailed  for  Spain,  where  he  continued 
his  military  career,  and,  from  the  rank  of  Briga<Her 
General,  rose  to  that  of  MarMcal  de  Gampa^  or  lieute- 
nant General.  "He  carried  with  him,"  says  Judge 
Martin  in  his  History  of  Louisiana,  "  the  good  wishes  and 
the  regrete  of  the  colonists."  Miro  was  not  a  biilliant 
man,  like  his  predecessor  Galvez,  but  had  a  sound  judg- 
ment, a  high  sense  of  honor,  and  an  excellent  heart.  He 
possessed  two  qualities  which  are  not  always  found  to- 
gether— suavity  of  temper  and  energy ;  he  had  received 
a  fair  college  education,  possessed  several  languages, 
was  remarkable  for  his  strict  morality  and  his  indefati- 
gable industry,  and  joined  to  his  other  qualifications  the 
long  experience  of  one  who  had  not  lived  in  vain.  He 
was  a  native  of  Catalonia,  and  had  some  of  the  distin- 
:  gcdshing  traits  of  character  of  the  population  of  that 
province.  He  left  Louisiana  entirely  reconciled  to  the 
Spanish  domination,  which  had  been  gradually  endeared 
to  the  inhabitants  by  the  enlightened  and  wise  deport- 
ment of  almost  eiifcry  officer  who  had  rided  over  them. 
Another  circumstance  had  contributed  to  operate  a  sort 
of  fusion,  and  establish  bonds  of  friendship  and  consan- 
guinity between  the  two  races.  Thus,  ^e  most  emi* 
nent  among  the  Spaniards  had,  either  from  the  shrewd 


■# 


SPANISH  DOMINATION  OBOWINO  POPULAK. 


311 


inspirations  of  policy,  or  from  the  spontaneous  impulse 
of  the  heart,  allied  themselves  to  the  families  of  the 
natives.  Governor  Unzaga  had  married  a  Maxent, 
Governor  Galvez,  her  sister;  the  commissary  of  war, 
Don  Juan  Antonio  Gayarre,  the  son  of  the  royal  comp- 
troller, had  married  Constance  de  Grandpre ;  the  in- 
tendant  Odoardo,  her  sister ;  Bouligny,  who  since  became 
Colonel  of  the  regiment  of  Louisiana,  a  D' Auberville ; 
Colonel  Piemas,  a  de  Pomeuf ;  Governor  Mii'6,  a  Ma- 
carty;  Colonel,  and  afterwards.  Governor  Gayoso  de 
Leinos,  a  Miss  Watts ;  and  so  on  with  many  others  whom 
it  is  unnecessary  to  mention.  These  were  remarkable 
examples,  which  had  never  been  given  by  the  French 
Governors,  and  but  seldom  by  the  other  high  dignitaries 
of  XiOuisiana,  before  it  became  a  Spanish  colony. 


'¥ 


j-^-> 


B 


m 


CHAPTER  VI. 


OARONDELET'S   ADJONISTRATIOir. 


1792  to  1797. 


w 


Frajs^ois  Louis  Hector,  Baron  de  Carondelet,  a  colo- 
nel of  the  royal  armies  of  Spain,  succeeded  Miro,  on  the 
Both  of  December,  1791,  as  governor  and  intendant  of 
the  provinces  of  Louisiana  and  West  Florida.  When 
he  received  this  appointment,  he  was  governor  of  San 
Salvador  in  the  province  of  Guatimala.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  Flanders,  and  had^  by  his  acknowledged  ability 
and  unremitting  exertions  and  zeal,  risen  to  rank  and 
importance  in  the  service  of  Spain. 

According  to  Spanish  usage,  the  Baron,  shortly  after 
entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  published  his 
*'Bando  de  Buen  Gobierno,"  on  the  22d  of  January, 
1792.  "Among  the  new  regulations  which  it  intro- 
duced," says  Judge  Martin  in  his  His*,  "y  of  Louisiana, 
"it  provided  for  the  division  of  the  city  of  New  Orleans 
into  four  wards,  id  each  of  which  an  Alcalde  de  Barrio, 
or  con'missary  of  police,  was  to  be  appointed.  Li  order 
to  procure  to  government  a  knowledge  of  aU  the  inha- 
bitants, and  every  stranger  among  them  or  in  the  city, 
it  was  made  the  duty  of  all  persons  renting  houses  or 
apartments,  to  give  the  names  of  their  new  tenants  to 
the  Alcalde  of  the  district,  on  tho  first  day  of  their 
occupation,  or,  at  farthest,  on  t)ie  succeeding  one.  The 
Alcaldes  de  Barrio  were  directed  to  take  charge  of  fire 
engines  and  their  implements,  and  to  command  the  fire 


CARONnELErS  ADMINISTRATION. 


318 


and  axQinea  companies,  in  case  of  confiagi'ation.  They 
were  also  empowered  to  preserve  the  peace,  and  to  take 
cognizance  of  small  deBts. 

"In  one  of  his  first  commonicrtions  to  the  Cabildo, 
the  Baron  recommended  to  them  to  make  provision  for 
lighting  the  city  and  employing  watchmen.  The  reve- 
nue of  the  corporation  did  not  amount,  at  this  period,  to 
seven  thousand  dollars.  To  meet  the  charges  for  the 
purchase  of  lamps  and  oil,  and  the  wages  of  watchmen, 
a  tax  of  one  dollar  and  twelve  and  a  half  cents  was  to 
be  laid  on  every  chimney. 

"In  a  letter  to  the  minister,  the  Baron,  this  year, 
mentioned  that  the  population  of  New  Orleans  was  un- 
der six  thousand. 

"  Having  received  instructions  from  the  King  to  attend 
to  the  humane  treatment  of  slaves  in  the  province,  he 
issued  his  proclamation,  establishing  the  following  regu- 
lations : 

"1" — That  each  slave  should  receive,  monthly,  for  his 
food,  one  barrel  of  corn,  at  least. 

"  2° — That  every  Sunday  should  be  exclusively  his 
own,  without  his  being  compelled  to  work  for  his  master, 
except  in  urgent  cases,  when  he  must  be  paid  for  or 
indemnified. 

"3" — ^That,  on  other  days,  they  should  not  begin  to 
work  before  daybreak,  nor  continue  their  labors  after 
dark;  one  half  hour  to  be  allowed  for  breakfast,  ai^d 
two  hours  for  dinner. 

"  4° — ^l%o  brown  shirts,  a  woollen  coat  and  pantaloon^ 
and  a  pair  of  linen  pantaloons  and  two  handkerchief,  to 
be  allowed,  yearly,  to  each  male  slave,  and  suitable 
dresses  to  every  female. 

"6"— -None  to  be  punished  with  more  than  thirty 
lashes,  within  twfenty^ur  hours. 

"B^'-^Delkviaents  to  be  fined  in  the  snm  of  one  him 


# 


i 

m 


814 


FACTIONS  m  THE  COLONY. 


dred  dollars,  and,  in  grave  cases,  the  slave  to  be  sold 
away  to  arother." 

On  the  2Yth  of  April,  Oarondelet  wrote  to  his  govern- 
ment: "When  I  arrived  at  New  Orleans,  I  found  it 
divided  into  two  factions — the  one  headed  by  Governor 
Mir6  and  backed  by  the  Bishop,  the  assessor  of  the 
Intendancy,  Don  Manuel  Serrano,  <fec. ;  and  the  other, 
composed  of  the  Contadoir,  or  royal  comptroller  Don 
Jose  Orue;  the  vicar  Felix  Portillo,  who  is  a  capiiohin, 
Don  Jose  Ortega,  &c.  The  most  influential  among  the 
French  had  sided  with  one  or  the  other  -■  \rty,  iEiccording 
to  the  promptings  of  their  own  private  iixterest,  so  that 
this  capital  was  full  of  discord  and  animosities.  Having 
shown  myself  indifferent  to  both  parties,  and  quite  re- 
solved to  punish  those  who  should  prove  intractable,  I 
succeeded  in  effecting  a  reconciliation,  at  least  ostensibly, 
with  the  exception  of  the  comptroller  and  the  assessor, 
who  could  not  be  brought  to  be  on  fiiendly  terms  with 
each  other."  He  therefore  recommended  that  both  be 
sent  out  of  the  colony  with  their  advisers.  A  summary 
manner  of  reestablishing  harmony!  He  further  said 
that  the  comptroller  accused  Mir6  of  having  embezzled 
the  funds  of  the  King  but  that  this  accusation  had  so 
far  remained  without  proof. 

On  the  23d  of  JuIt,  he  also  informed  his  government 
of  the  reasons  which  had  induced  him  to  prohibit  the 
introduction  of  negroes  from  Jamaica  and  the  French 
Islands,  leaving  to  the  traders  in  that  kind  of  commodity 
the  faculty  of  proNadii  g  themselves  with  it  on  the  coasts 
of  Africa.  The  Governor  had  adopted  this  measure  at 
the  solicitation  of  th^  members  of  the  Cabildo,  who  were 
afraid  of  ^;he  importation  of  slaVes  infected  with  a  spirit 
of  insurrection.  / 

Louisiana  had  always  carried  on  a  brisk  trade  with 
that  portion  of  the  island  of  St.  Domingo  which  belonged 


CAPTURE  OF  WM.   AUGUSTUS   BOWLES. 


315 


to  the  French,  and  she  therefore  suflfered  considerably 
in  consequenc(5  of  the  revolution  operated  by  the  blackk 
in  that  hitherto  prosperous  colony.  In  the  month  of 
August,  she  found  horself  threatened  almost  with  famine, 
and  she  was  relieved  only  by  the  arrival  of  onii  thousand 
barrels  of  flour,  for  which  the  Baron  de  Carondelet  had 
sent  in  haste  to  Philadelphia. 

On  the  16th  of  September,  he  communicated  to  the 
court  of  Madrid  the  details  of  an  important  capture 
which  he  had  made  some  months  previous,  in  the  person 
of  William  Augustus  Bo^^'les.  This  individual  was  a 
native  of  Maryland,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  began 
life  shadowed  forth  what  he  would  be  in  riper,  years. 
Thus,  instead  of  assisting  his  countrymen,  who  were 
struggling  for  their  independence,  he,  at  the  ugb  of  four- 
teen, entered  the  British  army  as  a  foot  soldier.  His  ^ 
fii-st  steps  in  the  military  career  seem  to  have  been 
marked  with  signal  success;  for,  a  year  after,  in  1777, 
notwithstanding  his  extreme  youth,  we  find'him  in  Jamai- 
ca  with  the  grade  of  ensign,  and,  as  such,  having  the 
honor  of  bearing  the  proud^  banner  of  England.  This 
was  luck  indeed  for  an  American  boy  of  fifteen  I  Shortiy 
after,  he  went  with  hie  rcgimeiit  to  Pensaoola,  and  there 
the  scene  changes.  William  Bowles  became  guilty  of 
such  an  act  of  insuboi'dinatiouj  that  he  was  deprived  of 
his  rank.  In  a  fit  of  disgust,  it  is  said  that  the  young 
man  stript  himself  of  his  English  uniform,  contemptu* 
ously  flung  it  into  the  sea,  and  fied  to  the  Indians,  amoi;ig 
whom  he  Hved  several  years,  and  whose  language  }^e 
acquired  to  perfection.  He  married  the. daughter  pC  ^ 
chief  of  the  Greek  nation,  was  naturalized  among  them, 
and  became^  himself  a  chief,  a  great  i  ifarrior,  and  there- 
fore an  influential  man.  In  1781,  when  Galvez  b^si#|^e4 
Pensacolft,  Bowles*  the  deserter  secured  his  pardon,  ipd:* 


•  jPiok«tt'>  Hiatory  of  Al«bftms.Tol  ii,fr.  11& 


i'XJf 


*-' 


316 


LIFE  OF  WM.   AUGUSTUS   30TVXB8. 


k^'Si' 


Hm 


■n 

RPui 

Hb 

Bk 

HirmI 

regained  the  good  graces  and  favor  of  the  English,  by 
leading  a  party  of  Creeks  to  the  assistance  of  General 
Campbell.    But  Bowles  got  tired  at  last  of  his  Indian 
wife,  of  his  Indian  popularity,  and  of  his  Indian  life, 
which,  probably,  did  not  aflford  him  sufficiently  ample 
scope  for  the  vereatility  of  liis  genius.    Now  he  bids  a 
long  and  glad  farewell  to  the  hospitable  wilderness 
which  had  sheltered  him,  and  he  is  next  seen  in  New 
York.    What  is  he  doing  there  ?    Why — ^forsooth,  he 
has  joined  a  company  of  actors,  and  is  amusing  himself 
with  eliciting  the  applause  of  enraptured  audiences,  or 
perhaps  is  swearing  oaths  of  deadly  hatred  at  those  spec- 
tators, whose  evidences  of  disapprobation  remind  him  of 
the  hisses  of  those  snakes  which  he  left  far  away  in  the 
shady  woods  of  Alabama.     He  followed  that  company 
of  players  to  New  Providence,  where  he  continued  to 
exercise  the  same  profession,  and,  occasionally,  tried  his 
hand  at  painting  portraits.     Whether  as  a  comedian,  a 
painter,  an  American  Tory,  an  ex-British  officer,   an 
Indian  chief,  or  something  else,  it  is  certain  that  he  won 
the  confidence  of  Lord  Dunmore,  Governor  of  the  Ba- 
^hamas,  who  appointed  him  an  English  agent,  to  establish 
on   the   Chattahouchie  a  commercial  house,  with  the 
view  of  entering  into  competition  with  the  celebrated 
one  of  Panton  in  Pensacola,  which  was  under  the  patron- 
age of  the  Spanish  authorities.      True  to  his  mission, 
Bowles  soon  began  to  deal  and  intrigue  among  the 
Indians  with  his  characteristic  daring  and  address.    He 
counteracted  the  influence  of  Panton,  he  undermined  the 
power  of  McGillivray,  and  gave  great  annoyance  to  the 
Georgians,  who  resorted,  however,  with  their  customary 
decision,  to  a  summary  mode  of  redress,  and  sent  him 
word,  on  a  certain  day  when  they  had  lost  patience,  that, 
if  he  did  not  depart  within  twenty-four  hours,  they 
would  cut  off  his  ears.    Not  wishing  to  incur  this  penalty, 


■-% 


LITE  OF  WM.  AUQUSTUF   BOWLES. 


817 


he  hastily  leturned  to  New  Providence,  from  which  he 
was  deputed  to  England  by  Lord  Danmore  with  a  dele- 
gation of  Creeks,  Seminoles,  and  ChercL-ees,  to  enlist  in 
their  favor  the  protection  of  the  British  government,  and 
secure  its  assistance  in  repelling  American  aggression. 
He  and  his  Indian  companions  were  well  leceived  at 
court,  and  their  friendship  was  gained  by  valuable 
presents.  Bowles  did  not  disappoint  his  English  allies, 
and  on  his  return  to  Ameri6a,  says  Pickett  in  his  History 
oi  Alabama,  "  began  a  piratical  war  upon  the  coasting 
vessels  of  Panton,  having  taught  his  warriors  to  navigate 
the  gulf.  He  captured  some  of  the  vessels,  laden  with 
arms  and  ammunition,  ran  them  up  in  bayous,  where  he 
and  an  abandoned  set  of  white  men  from  the  prisons  of 
London,  toget^r  with  hosts  of  savages,  engaged  in  pro- 
tracted debaucheries,  and,  day  and  night,  made  the  woods 
echo  with  horrid  oaths  and  panther  screams."  And  yet 
this  man  is  represented  as  having  possessed  the  most 
winning  address,  and  a  gentleness  of  mien  which  did  not 
exclude,  when  the  occasion  required  it,  the  imposing 
and  stern  aspect  of  command.  His  was  the  sweetest 
of  smiles,  femininely  beautiful,  and  apparently  indica- 
tive of  the  bubbling  well  of  human  kindness  within, 
"with  the  dark  eye-brow  that  shaded  at  times  the 
glance  of  fire."  He  was  one  of  those  impassioned  beings, 
of  those  "  demons  in  act,  but  gods  at  least  in  face,"  whom 
the  Bembrandt  of  poetry — Byron — delighted  to  paint. 

With  Panton's  merchandise,  which  he  lavishly  distri- 
buted among  the  Indians,  Bowles  regained  his  former 
])opularity  and  influence  among  the  Creeks,  and  became 
so  bold  as  to  accuse  McGiUivray  of  treachery  to  his  own . 
tribe,  and  attempt  to  overthrow  that  ehieftain  and  usurp 
his  place.  But  McGiUivray  was  fully  his  match,  and 
went  to  New  Orleans  to  arrange  with  Carondelet  the 
capture  of  his  restless  enemy.    The  Gonrt  of  Madrid 


# 


."ft: 


f 


m 


8id 


UI^  OF  WM.  AUGUSTUS  BOWUS. 


!  %, 


Bad  instructed  the  Governors  of  Louisiana  and  of  Pensa- 
cola,  either  to  bribe  Bowles  into  an  alliance  with  Spain, 
or  to  seize  him  and  his  accomplices  or  supporters.  "  Con- 
sidering,'* said  Carondelet,  in  a  despatch  of  the  16th  of 
September,  "how  important  it  was  to  the  interests  of 
bis  Majesty,  to  the  security  of  these  provinces,  and  the 
prosperity  of  the  kingdor*.  to  stifle,  even  in  the  very 
womb  of  conception,  the  dangerous  intentions  of  this 
adventurer,  to  keep  up  the  friendship  of  the  Talapouches 
or  Creeks,  and  to  remove  from  their  minds  the  erroneous 
impressions  which  he  might  have  made  on  them,  I  took 
the  most  efficacious  means  to  have  him  arrested  in  com- 
pliance with  the  ordere  of  the  King,  and  on  the  12th  of 
March,  he  was  brought  to  me  in  this  city,  from  which 
I  sent  him  to  Havana,  where  he  embarked,  on  the  2  2d, 
in  the  frigate  the  Mississippi ;  which  took  to  Spain  my 
predecessor,  the  Brigadier-general,  Bon  Estevan  Miro. 
I  also  caused  to  be  transported  to  Havana  Wm.  Cun- 
ningham and  Henry  Smith,  who  were  his  accomplices  in 
robbing  the  stores  of  William  Panton  at  the  Apalaches. 


#' 


"I  have  pursued  my  plan  with  perseverance,  and  I  have 
succeeded  in  quieting  almost  all  the  Indians.  I  have,  to 
all  appearances,  taken  the  most  adequate  measures  to 
capture  all  the  companions  and  accomplices  of  Bowles, 
and  I  will  not  desist  from  the  prosecution  of  this  object, 
until  it  be  accomplished,  since  on  its  success  depends,  not 
only  the  tranquillity  of  these  provinces,  but  also  the  secu- 
rity of  the  Mexican  empire,  for  which  they  are  a  natural 
rampart,  and  barrier  of  protection  *  I  cannot  close  this 
letter,  without  observing  to  your  excellency  that,  by  all 
Itneans,  the  presjsnce  of  Bowles  in  this  latitude  must  be 
guarded  agair^,  and  that  he  must  be  carefally  detained 

*  Sino  tambien  la  seguridad  del  imperio  M^icanp  de  qu«  ttovkfil  antemnnly 
natural  barrera. 


»'* 


ia-         .!m. 


UFB  OF  WM.  AUGUSTUS  BOWLES. 


819 


in  Europe."  This  sufficiently  shows,  without  comments, 
the  fears  which  the  da  ing  and  talents  of  this  adven- 
turer had  excited  in  the  Spanish  Government,  and  the 
importance  to  which  he  had  risen  at»  a  prisoner  of  state. 
Bowles  was  carried  to  Madrid,  where  he  was  im- 
prisoned, and  treated  with  alternate  kindness  and  se- 
verity, but  he  was  neither  seduced  nor  intimidated. 
The  government  repeatedly  offered  him  his  liberty,  with 
pecuniary  and  military  rewards,  if  he  chose  to  abandon 
the  English  service  and  enlist  in  that  of  Spain,  by  using 
his  influence  with  the  Creeks,  to  assist  the  Spaniards  in 
Louisiana  and  the  Floridas.  Bowles  was  proof  against 
all  temptation,  and  has  the  merit  of  having  remained 
true  to  his  plighted  faith.  Seeing  that  nothing  could  be 
gained  from  his  stubborn  resistance,  the  ministry  caused 
him  to  be  transported  to  the  island  of  Manilla  in  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean,  where  he  remained  until  February,  1797.  In 
this  year,  for  reasons  unknown,  perhaps  with  a  view  that 
he  should  be  more  securely  guarded,  as  war  had  then 
broken  out  between  Spain  and  England,  he  was  ordered 
back  to  the  Peninsula.  "  But,"  says  Pickett  in  his  His- 
tory of  Alabama,"  he  contrived  on  his  way  to  escape,  at 
Ascension  Island,  and  reached  Sierra  Leone,  where  the 
English  Governor  gave  him  a  passage  to  London.  Mr. 
Pitt  and  the  Duke  of  Portland  provided  for  his  necessi- 
ties in  a  munificent  manner."  Then,  if  we  follow  this 
personage  in  his  romantic  career,  we  see  him  leading  a 
corsair's  life,  and  privateering  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  in  a 
light  English  schooner,  against  the  conmierce  of  Spain, 
and  particularly  against  the  fat  boxes  of  merchandise  of 
Panton,  the  wealthy  Pensacola  merchant.  Much  to  the 
relief  of  his  victims,  he  was  wrecked  on  the  coast  of 
Florida ;  but  nothing  daunted,  if  he  had  to  discontmue 
his  operations  on  the  blue  waves  of  the  sea,  it  was  to 
.*enew  thena  in  the  wilderness  of  t^e  continent.   He  soon 


r 


n 


r&.i"* 


WM-f 


'# 


mm3 


,*■ 


320 


LIFK  OF  WM.  AUGUSTUS  BOWLES. 


joined  again  the  Creeks,  by  whom  he  was  heartily  wel- 
corned  back,  as  if  he  had  been  a  chief  of  their  own  tribe 
and  race,  and  with  them,  he  began  hostilities  against  the 
Americans  and  the  Spaniards,  towards  whom  he  ent'dr* 
tained  an  equal  animosity.  He  marched  upon  the  town 
of  St.  Marks,  captured  the  fort,  and  again  plundered 
stores  which  belonged  to  Panton,  of  whom  he  seemed 
destined  to  be  the  scourge.  He  conducted  his  foraging 
expeditions  with  such  skill,  activity  and  energy,  that  he 
became  far  and  wide  an  object  of  terror,  and  the  name 
of  Bowles  remained  a  household  word,  but  too  familiar 
to  the  frightened  imagination  of  almost  every  woman 
and  child  in  the  settlements  of  the  hardy  pioneers  of 
Alabama  and  Florida.  He  had  at  last  made  himself 
80  troublesome,  that  the  Americans  and  the  Spaniards, 
who  distrusted  each  other,  and  whose  interests  were 
opposed  in  so  many  things,  easily  agreed  on  one  point — 
which  was — the  necessity  of  their  combining  to  get  rid 
of  their  implacable  foe,  and  they  secretly  offered  a  large 
reward  for  his  capture.  This  temptation  was  so  power- 
ful, that  it  could  not  be  resisted ;  and  Bowles'  own  war- 
riOi-s  seized  and  pinioned  him,  at  a  grand  festival  to 
which  he  had  unsuspiciously  resorted.  During  the  night 
which  followed  this  act  of  treachery,  gnawing  apart  the 
ropes  with  which  he  was  bound,  he  escaped  in  the  most 
miraculous  manner,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  the 
Indians.  But,  being  retaken  by  his  pursuers,  he  was 
conveyed  to  Mobile,  and  thence  to  Havana,  where  he 
subsequently  died  in  one  of  the  dungeons  of  the  More 
Castle.  Such  was  the  romantic  and  eventful  life  of  this 
remarkable  adventurer,  who,  for  several  years,  had  main- 
tained himself  in  a  position  to  exercise  some  considerable 
influence  on  the  destinies  of  Louisiana. 
.  McGillivray  did  not  survive  long  the  first  capture  of 
his  rival,  Bowles,  which,  as  already  stated,  was  effected 


# 


M*OII.LrVRAT'8  DEATH. 


321 


in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1793,  and  >f  which  he  had 
been  one  of  the  main  instruments.  On  his  return  from 
New  Orleans,  late  in  the  summer  of  that  very  year,  he 
was  taken  ill,  at  Mobile,  of  a  fever,  which  revived  old 
constitutional  diseases,  and  brought  on  a  crisis,  of  which 
he  died  a  short  time  after.  William  Panton,  the  far- 
famed  Pensacola  merchant,  of  whom  he  was  the  fiiend, 
and  to  some  extent  the  partner,  and  whose  commercial 
dealings  with  the  Indians  he  had  so  long  and  so  faith- 
fully promoted,  wrote  to  Lachland  McGillivray,  the 
father  of  the  chieftain,  who  was  still  living  at  Dunma- 
glas  in  Scotland,  an  interesting  letter  on  the  death  of  his 
son.*  "  Your  son.  Sir,"  said  Panton,  "  was  a  man  that  I 
esteemed  greatly.  I  was  perfectly  convinced  that  our 
regard  for  each  other  was  mutual.  It  so  happened,  that 
we  had  an  interest  in  serving  each  other,  which  first 
brought  us  together,  and  the  longer  we  were  acquainted, 
the  stronger  was  our  friendship. 

"  I  found  him  deserted  by  the  British,  without  pay, 
without  money,  without  friends,  and  without  property, 
saving  a  few  nej^oes,  and  he  and  his  nation  threatened 
with  destruction  by  the  Georgians,  unless  they  agi'eed 
to  cede  them  the  better  part  of  their  country.  I  had 
the  good  fortune  to  point  out  a  mode  by  which  he  could 
save  them  all,  and  it  succeeded  beyond  expectation,  <fec. 
*  «  *  *  «  * 

"He  died  on  the  ITth  of  February,  1798,  of  compli- 
cated disorders — of  inflamed  lungs  and  the  gout  on  the 
stomach.  He  was  taken  ill  on  the  path  coming  from 
his  coT/^-pen^  on  Little  river,  where  one  of  his  wives,  Jo- 
seph OumeU^B  daughter,  resided,  and  died  eight  days 
after  his  snival  here  (Pensacoljt).  No  pains,  no  atten- 
tion, no  cost  was  spared  to  save  the  life  of  my  friend, 

*  nelntira  Hlitoiy  of  Alabaus,  YoL  il,  p.  141. 
21 


"M 


% 


mm' 


mmm 


-Si-' 


m^i: 


# 


.# 


822 


M^OILLIVBAY's   O^ABAOTEB. 


but  fate  would  have  it  otherwise,  and  he  breathed  his 
last  in  my  arms,  <fec.  *  *  *  « 


* 


:« 


"He  died  possessed  of  siirty  negroes,  three  hundred 

head  of  cattle,  with  a  large  stock  of  horses,  <fec.         * 
*  «  *  «.  ■»  *  * 

"I  advised,  I  suppoi-ted,  I  pushed  him  on,  to  be  the 
great  man.  Spaniards  and  Americans  felt  his  weight, 
and  this  enabled  him  to  haul  me  after  him,  so  as  to 
establish  this  house  with  more  solid  privileges  than, 
without  him,  I.  should  have  obtained.  This  being  the 
case,  if  he  had  lived,  I  meant,  besides  what  he  was  owing 
me,  to  have  added  considerably  to  his  stock  of  negroes. 
What  I  intended  to  do  for  the  father,  I  will  do  for  his 
children.  This  ought  not  to  operate  against  your  making 
that  ample  provision  for  your  grandson  and  his  two  sis- 
tera,  which  you  have  it  in  your  power  to  make.  They 
have  lately  lost  their  mother,  so  that  they  have  no 
friends,  poor  things,  but  you  and  me.  My  heart  bleeds 
for  them,  and  what  I  can,  I  will  do.  The  boy,  Alleck, 
is  old  enough  to  be  sent  to  Scotland,  to  school,  which  I 
intend  to  do,  next  year,  and  then  you  will  see  him."    . 

Such  was  the  end  of  the  man,  whom  the  Spaniards 
had  considered  as  one  of  their  most  valuable  allies,  to 
protect  Louisiana  against  the  approach  of  the  Americans. 
McGillivray  was  one  of  those  interesting  characters  who 
have  now  become  so  scarce,  and  who,  in  the  early  days 
of  the  histoiy  of  America,  ^resented  in  their  persons 
the  curious  spectacle  of  the  combined  qualities  and  de- 
fects of  the  wild  Indian  and  the  educated  white  man  of 
the  Caucasian  race-^what  is  called  a  half-breed— a  com- 
pound of  night  and  day- — a  moral,  intellectual  and  phy- 
sical twilight — ^the  blending  of  colors  and  races— the 
offspring  of  the  embraces  of  civilization  and  barbarism — 
the  embodiment  of  the  spirit  of  the  wilderness  still 


# 


^- 


M^XL]E.^V&AY*S  OHABAOTE^. 


ssrs 


'A^ 


r6taMng  its  nature  atid  propea^ifies,  although  tomewliat 
tam«<l  and  refined  by  tke' tnition  of  morality,  the  reve- 
latious  of  religibn,  and  the  socthing  infinence  (^f  the  arts 
and  scJifences.  He,  himself  seemed  to  delight  in  showing, 
by  his  usual  dress,  the  opposite  elements  which  composed 
his  organization ;  tor  that  dress  was  a  striking  mixture 
of  the  Indian  and  European  garb.  When  he  travelled 
among  the  whites,  it  was  always  with  befitting  dignity, 
and  with  two  servants,  one  of  whom  was  a  half-breed, 
and  the  other  a  negro.  When  moving  on  the  territc^ 
of  his  nation,  he  was  followed,  like  a  chief,  by  an  In<Uan 
escort.  In  imitation  of  more  powerful  rulers,  he  had 
several  places  of  residence,  if  not  palaces,  where  he  en- 
tertained his  visitors  with  the  most  liberal  hospitality; 
His  two  favorite  seats  were  at  Hickory  Ground,  and  at 
little  Tallase.  The  historian  Pickett,  who,  being  a  native 
of  Alabama,  has  had  a  better  opportunity  than  any  one 
else,  to  procure  the  fiillest  information  concerning  this 
distinguished  chieftain  of  the  land  where  he  dwells,  thus 
desciibes  his  pOTSon :  * 

"  General  McGUlivray  was  six  feet  high,  spare  made, 
and  remarkably  erect  in  person  and  carriage.  His  eyes 
were  large,  dark  and  jr'nrcing.  His  forehead  was  so 
peculiarly  shaped,  that  the  old  Indian  countrymen  often 
spoke  of  it.  It  commenced  expanding  at  his  eyes,  and 
widened  considerably  at  the  top  of  his  head.  It  was  a 
bold  and  lofty  forehead.  His  fingers  were  long  and 
tapering,  and  he  wielded  a  pen  with  the  greatest  rapidity. 
His  face  was  handsome,  and  indicative  of  quick  thought 
and  much  sagacity.  Unless  interested  in  conversatidii, 
he  was  disposed  to  be  taciturn,  but  even  then  was  polite 
And  respectftdi'  Pickett  tails  him  the  Talleyraad  df 
Alabasna.  ^  as  a  barbarian,  he  delighted  in  the  plu- 
rality of  wives,  and  thereby  wa«i  pointedly  opposed  in 
taste  to  his  exquisitely  civilised  pretot^fje,  who  never 


I* 


M.    t 


ill*- 


.«. 


,''* 


324 


m*&iluvbatV  ohabaotbb. 


could  bear  to  live  witiitEe  only  one  he  had  taken  to  hW 
bosom,  ke  ceiJtainly  had,  if  small  and; great  thinge  can 
be  assknilated,  some  diplomatic  resemblance  with  the 
celebrated  statesman  of  France.  JPor  he  succeeded  in 
persuading  the  Americans,  the  British  and  the  Spaniards, 
that  he  was  serving  them  all^  .whilst  he  was  serving  himU 
self  only,  and,  which  is  better^  perhaps  his  own  people. 
The  individual  who,  Proteus-like,  could  in  tupn~-nay 
more,  who  could  at  the  same  time,  be  a  Biitish  Colonel, 
a. Spanish  and  American  General,  a  polished  gentleman, 
a  Greek  and  Latin  scholar,  and  a  wild  Indian  Chief  with 
the  frightful  tomahawk  at  his  belt  arid  the  war  paint  ori 
his  body,  a  shrewd  politician,  a  keen-sighted  merchant, 
a  skilf id  peculator,  the  emperor  of  the  Creeks  and 
Semiuoles,  the  able  n^otiator  of  treaties  with  Washing- 
ton in  person  and  other  great  men,  the  writer  Of  papers 
which  would  challenge  the  admiration  of  the  most 
festidiousr— he,  who  could  be  a  mason  aniong  the  Chiis- 
tians,  and  a  pagan  prophet  in  the  woods ;  he,  who  could 
have  presents,  titles,*"  decorations  showered  at  the  same 
time  upon  him  from  England,  Spain  and  the  United 
States,  and  who  could  so  long  arrest  their  encroachments 
against  himself  and  his  nation,  by  playing  them,  like 
puppets,  against  each  other,  must  be  allowed  to  tower 
fai"  above  the  common  herd  of  men.  He  was  interred 
with  masonic  honore  in  the  splendid  garden  of  William 
Panton,  in  the  town  of  Pensacola.*  He  was  much 
regretted  by  the  Spaniards,  but  his  death  literally  spread 
desolation  among  his  people,  and  one  of  them,  on  pro- 
nonricing  a  funeral  oration  to  his  memory,  might,  with 
truth,  had  he  known  anything  of  Hebrew  histoi*y  and 
of  Lalan  langiiage,i  have  !appli«d  to  him  what  was  said  of 
obIb  (rf  the  idachabei:  Mevemnt  eum  onmis  popuhia 


Pickettli  ffistory  of^Alabanus  -vol  IL,  p.  142. 


EXTENSIOir  OF  0OMM£BdlAL  FRANCHIBES. 


325 


m 


Israel/ planctn  magno,  et  Ingi^bont  dies  mnltos,  et 
dixeranti  quo  modo  cecidit  vir  potens,  qui  salvtim  facie* 
ba;t  poptilum  latael ! 

If  the  intelligence  of  tie  captttre  of  Bowleg  had  been 
gratefnl  to  the  ministers  of  Madrid,  th^y  were  not  as 
well  pleased  Virith  the  information  which  they  received 
from  Carondelet,  in  a  despatch  of  the  26th  of  December, 
in  which  ti^y  "were  mad^  to  nnder^tand  that  the  mate? 
rials  for  the  inilitia,ry  defence  of  Louisiana  were  in  the 
most  wretched  state,  and  that  it  was  impossible  to  do 
what  was  absolutely  necessary  to  put  them  in  a  proper 
condition,  without  an  expenditm'e  of  at  least  $250,00()i 
Th(i  revenue  received  through  the  custom-house  at  NfiiW 
Orleans,  amounted,  this  year  (1792),  to  $89,499. 

On  the  1^^"W  January,  1793,  the  King  ksued  an  ordi- 
ance  approving  the  prohibitory  measure  which  Caron- 
delet,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Cabildo,  had 
adopted  concerning  the  importation  of  slaves  into  Louisi- 
ana from  Jamaica  and  the  French  West  India  Islands ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  wishing  to  encourage  the  slave 
trade  from  Africa,  his  Catholic  Majesty  granted  great 
privileges  to  such  of  his  subjects  as  would  engage  in  it 
with  Spanish  vessels. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  the  King  issued  another  ordinrnce, 
continuing,  increasing  and  extending  the  conamei'cial 
franchises  which  had  been  conceded  by  the  royztl 
schedule  of  1782.*  This  wise  policy  was  extremdy 
favorable  to  the  commerce  of  New  Orleans,  which,  be- 
sides, had  hithei-to  been  fostered  by  the  enlightened' 
liberality  of  the  Spanish  Governors,  who  had  always 
connived  at  the  violfition  of  those  stringent  and  ifl- 
de vised  commercial  regulations  of  Spain,  which,  in  her 
colonies,  absolutely  confitied  all  trade  td  her  natuM  born 

*  HattiD't  EUstoty  of  Lonuian^  ToL  ii,  p.  119. 


^ 


S- 


# 


m'^''"^ 


326 


EXTENSION  OP   COMMERCIAL  FaANOHKES. 


m 
m 

m 


subjects,  or  to  such  as  were  naturalized  a»d  residjug  in 
her  dominions.  Particularly  since  the  conflagratioii 
which  had  destroyed  New  Orleans  in  1788,  Mir6  had 
openly  disregarded  the  positive  instructions  of  the 
minister  of  finances,  had  thrown  open  the  port  of  New 
Orleans  to  a  brisk  trade  with  I^hiladclphia,  and  had 
extended  the  same  patronage  to  foreign  merchants 
residing  in  the  province,  although  not  naturalized^  and 
the  same  policy  was  stDl  very  properly  pursued  by  the 
Baron  de  Carondelet.  It  must  be  said  that  the  King,  on 
being  informed  of  the  necessities  of  Louisiana,  approved 
of  the  disregard  of  his  own  lawB  by  his  own  representa- 
tives. "  After  this,"  says  Judge  Martin  in  his  History 
of  Louisiana,  "  the  officers  of  the  custom-house  contented 
themselves  with  the  simple  declaration  of  an  individual, 
generally  the  consignee,  that  he  was  owner  of  the  vessel. 
No  oath  was  administered ;  the  production  of  no  docU'- 
ment  was  required;  i,..w  declaration  was  even  accepted 
from  an  individual  who  did  not  reside  in  the  province, 
on  his  asserting  that  he  meant  to  do  so,  or  on  his  prq*- 
ducing  a  licence  to  import  goods.  No  one  was  thereby 
deceived,  but  the  custom-house  officera  were  furnished 
with  a  pretext  for  registering  aa  e  Spanish  botlam,  and 
thas  preserve  an  appearance  of  compliance  with  the  law. 
So  little  attention  was  paid  to  this,  that,  at  times,  the 
Governor  and  Intendant  certified  that  a  vessel  was 
American  property,  while  she  appeared  on  the  custom- 
house books  as  a  Spanish  vessel"  A  strange  anomaly, 
indeed,  coupled  with  a  stiU  more  curious  one— that  pf 
the  King  of  Spain's  preference  to  approve  fhe  violation 
of  his  superannuated,  moth-eaten  and  obnoxious  lawSj 
thalL  consent  to  their  repeal  or  modification. 

The  hope  of  quiet  and  pl'osperous  times  was  tbi^ 
smiling  on  th^  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  when  they  were 
violently  agitated  by  the  news  that  Louis  XVI.  had 


JAOOBHOSM  IN  LOUBIANA. 


9n 


perished  on  the  scafBold  on  the  21st  of  January,  1793, 
and  that  t^e  King  of  Spain  had  dieclared  war  against 
the  new  French  Bepublic.  Although  the  fete  of  the 
august  victim  was  deplored,  yet  the  feelings  of  the 
ni^ority  of  the  population  of  Louisiana  were  in  favor  of 
the  new  order  of  things  which  was  expected  to.  be 
estiibiished  in  France,  in  the  hope  that  a  free  govCTn- 
ment,  restirg  on  a  solid  basis,  would  succeed  the  bloody 
anarchy  which  they  considered  «s  having  only  a  teiSg^- 
porary  and  transitory  existence.  Thdy  were  not  also 
without  sdfcet  hopes  of  being  re-annexed  to  France,  by 
a  more  vigorous  and  enlightened  government  than  the 
one  which  had  given  them  away  to  Spain;  and  even  one 
hundred  and  fifty  of  them  were  bold  enough  to  sign  a 
petition  openly  addressed  to  the  French  Government, 
and  praying  for  their  being  replaced  under  the  protec- 
tion of  France.  The  sympathies  of  the  colonists  were 
not  concealed ;  at  the  theatre,  the  celebrated  French 
hymn,  "  La  Marseillaise,"  was  frantically  asked  from  the 
orchestra,  and  in  some  of  the  tippling-shops  of  New 
Orleans,  which  were  resorted  to  by  such  spirits  as  rejoice 
in  the  atmosphere  of  these  places,  the  Jacobinical  song 
of  ''  Oa  ira — -pa  ira^  les  Arietocrates  d  la  hmteme^  was 
vociferated  with  a  degree  of  boldness  which  showed  they 
iLought  that  help  was  at  hand,  and  that  punishment 
would  hesitate  to  visit  them.  The  Biajon's  critical  situa- 
tion may  easily  be  imagined.  "  He  prepared  and  pro- 
moted," says  Judge  Martin  in  his  History  of  Louisiana," 
the  sui&scription  of  a  paper,  in  which  the  colonists  gave 
assurance  of  their  loyalty  to,  and  affection  for,  the 
Catholic  King,  and  bound  themselves  to  support  Ms 
government  in  Louisiana.  He  put  a  stop  to  tJie  prac- 
tice #hlbh  had  of  kte  been  introduced,  of  entertaii^ng 
the  audience  at  the  theatre  with  the  esdbibition  of  certain 
liiiHrtial  danceia  to  revolutionary  airs.    He  caused  ^ 


i-^.., 
•i?*^' 


H 

n 

'^l^nM&Wiaff'llBSK 

^H 

H 

mm 

Bi 

»«mfli 

M 

3 

1 

w^^Hi 

11]  Mi 

■H 

836 


CABONDELET^S  DEFENaiyZ)  'MEASURES. 


'¥ 


individuals  who  had  manifested  their  approbatioatuf  the 
now  French  principles,  and  evinced  a  desire  of -seemg 
them 'acted  upon  in  Louisiana^  to  be  arrested  and  cpn- 
fined  in  the  ioH.  At  the  intercession  of  several  respect^ 
able  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans,  he  promised  to  liberate 
them ;  but,  believing  afterwards  that  he  had  discovered 
new  causes  of  alarm,  which  rendered  a  deoisive*  step 
necessary,  he  shipped  them  for  Havana,  where  they  were 
detained  during  a  twelvemonth." 

The&e  circumstances  required  that  Louisiana  be  put 
on  such  a  footing  as  to  meet  all  emergencHCs^  ||id,  on  the 
30th  of  September,  Carondelet  informed  his  government 
that  the  fortifications  and  all  the  other  necessary  mate- 
rials for  the  protection  of  the  colony  had  been  allowed 
to  go  to  ruin ;  that  the  amount  of  the  annual  expenditure 
fixed  for  Louisiana  by  O'Reilly,  in  1769,  at  the  rate  of 
$115,000,  had  not  been  sufficient  to  answer  all  the 
exigencies ;  and  that,  although,  since  1784,  the  budget  of 
the  province  had  been  carried  up  to  $537,869,  and  had 
been  so  kept  up  to  the  present  day,  still,  for  some  cause 
or  other,  unknown  to  him,  the  fortifications  and  artillery 
had  been  so  neglected,  that  they  were  unfit  for  any 
practical  use ;  and  that,  to  comply  with  the  royal  order 
of  October,  1791,  requli'ing  Louisiana  to  be  put  in  an 
ordinary  state  of  defence,  would  demand  an  annual 
appropriation  of  $100,279,  over  and  above  the  regular 
budget,  in  order  to  cover  the  expenses  to  be  occasioned 
by  an  increase  of  troops,  as  four  additional  battalions 
would  be  absolutely  necessary. 

In  these  difficult  conjunctures,  it  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  secure  the  friendship  of  the  Indians,  and 
therefore  all  the  efforijs  of  Carondelet  were  bent  towards 
str^ngthening^old  alliances  with  them,  and  mai^i^  new 
ones*  These  eflPorts  we^>3  crowned  with  success^and,  on 
the  28th  of  October,  he  had  the  satisfacticHi,  through  1^ 


^ 


f 


^:< 


¥0BTIFI0ATIONS   AT  NEW  ORLEANS. 


329 


ii»    a 


agent  and  TepresentativB,  Colonel  Gayoso  do  Lemos, 
Governor  of  Natchez,  tio-  make  a  reciprocally  defensive 
and  o^nsire  treaty,  between  Spain  on  one  side,  and  the 
Chickasaws,  the  Creeks,  the  TaUpoaches,  the  Cherokees, 
and  the  Alibamons  on^  the  other.  The  treaty  of  1*784 
was  ratified  .i  all  its  points,  and  these  different  Indian 
nations,  forming  a  confederacy  for  their  mntnal  assist- 
ance, bound  themselves  never  to  act  in  any  thing  which 
might  have  a  bearing  on  the  interest,  security  or  welfero 
of  the  parties  to  the  treaty,  without  first  obtaining  the 
Qom&r.i  of  them  all,  and  the  approbation  of  the  Governor 
of  Loakiana.  In  return  for  the  protection  which  Spain 
promised  to  extend  over  all  these  nations,  they  obligated 
themselves  to  contribute,  to  the  utmost  of  their  power, 
to  maint~*r.  li:'  Catholic  Majesty  in  possession  of  the 
provinces  of  Louiw*?na  and  of  the  two  Floridas/  Spain, 
being  the  patron  of  all  these  nations,  was  to  negotiate 
with  the  United  States,  in  order  to  have  the  limits  of  the 
territories  of  every  one  of  said  nations,  respectively  fixed 
l)etween  them  and  the  United  States,  so  as  to  avoid  any 
further  cause  for  quarrel  and  dissension.  The  other 
articles  of  the  treaty  were  concerning  the  distribution 
of  presents  to  the  several  tribes,  and  other  objects  of 
minor  importance. 

On  the  18th  of  January,  1794,  Oarondelet  wrote  to 
the  ministry  a  despatch,  in  which  he  infonned  theii  that 
he  was  erecting,  without  the  assistance  ©f  one  solitary 
'engineer,  considerable  fortifications,  or  repairing  old  ones, 
at  severid  points  of  the  colony,  and  particularly  around 
New  Orleans.  He  observed  iksA  they  Would  not  only 
protect  the  city  against  the  attack  of  an  enemy,  but  also 
keep  in  check  its  inhaMtants  thettiselves,  who  h^  laitely 
shown  a  imposition  to  eiHibriKe  the  new-faagled  doctrines, 
of  f>anoe,  and  had  manifested  the  desii©  of  retuUiing 
undei^,^eFdomiii«tioni.    '*I  am  every  day  (»i  lu^seba^ 


nwu 


Mp^W 

H^EjE^V 

g^ffia^^^W 

H|K 

H 

1 

380 


SPAiriSH  ALLIANOB  WITH  THE  INDIANS. 


Y 


before  dawn,"  said  he,  "in  order  to  visit  the  works,  to 
urge  the  laborers,  and  to  attend  to  all  my  other  intin- 
merable  duties."  He  added  that,  if  New  Orleans  had 
not  been  awed  by  the  forts  which  he  had  caused  to  be 
constructed,  ito  population  would  have  rebelled,  and  a 
revolntion  have  taken  place.  "By  the  exertion  of  the 
utmost  vigilance,  and  at  the  cost  of  sleepless  nights," 
said  he,  "by  frightening  some,  by  punishing  others,  by 
driving  several  out  of  the  colony,  and  particularly  those 
Frenchmen  who  had  klely  cdme  among  us,  and  who 
had  already  contaminated  the  greater  part  of  the  pro- 
vince with  their  notions  and  maxims  of  equality,  by 
intercepting  the  letters  and  papers  of  a  suspicions  cha- 
racter, and  by  dissembling  with  all,  I  have  obtained  more 
than  I  had  hoped,  considering  that  the  whole  colony  is 
now  in  a  state  of  internal  tranquillity."  He  further 
remarks  that,  with  regard  to  his  secret  and  confidential 
despatches,  he  has  nobody  about  him  that  he  could  ven- 
ture to  trust  with  the  copying  of  them ;  that  the  obliga- 
tion imposed  upon  him  by  the  order  of  the  King,  to 
transcribe  for,  and  to  submit  to,  the  Captain-general  of 
the  island  of  Cuba,  of  which  Louisiana  is  a  dependency, 
all  the  documents  he  has  to  forward  to  the  Secretary  of 
State  at  Madrid,  multiplies  his  labors  to  an  enormous 
extent,  and  that  the  most  robust  man  could  not  resist 
the  wear  and  tear  of  such  a  life ;  that  the  secretary  of 
the  government  of  the  colony,  Don  Armesto,  is  an  inde- 
fatigable man,  but  that  it  is  physically  impossible  that 
he  should  do  all  that  is  to  be  done,  and  that  the  King's 
servic  >r^ould  be  materially  benefited,  if  the  Captain- 
gltftiC         jfjided  in  Louisiana. 

Tlie  Baron  de  Carondelet  further  expressed  some  feel- 
ings of  proud  satisfaction  at  the  late  treaty  which  he  had 
concluded  with  the  Talapouches,  the  Chickasaws  and 
other  nations,  and  in  virtue  of  which  he  could,  at  any 


oabondslbt's  poliot  and  ymwB. 


8^1 


time,  8»  he  declared,  oppose,  if  neeeesary,  twenty  thou 
sand  Indians  to  the  Americans,  for  the  trifling  annual 
expenditure  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  But,  by  another 
of  his  despatches,  dated  on  the  24th  of  February,  it 
appears  that  the  pensions  and  presents  given  to  the  In- 
dians amounted  to  the  yearly  and  pretty  round  aum  of 
$66,000. 

In  this  long  and  very  able  despatch,  the  Baron  reviews 
the  situation  of  the  colony,  and  proposes  to  abandon  the 
fort  of  Natchez,  which  is  commanded  by  neighboring 
heights  and  can  really  be  of  no  avail  in  a  case  of  emer- 
gency, for  the  one  at  the  Walnut  Hills,  which  is  situated 
one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  higher  on  the  river,  and 
which  he  describes  as  being  in  an  infinitely  stronger 
position,  and  as  being  the  key  of  the  province.  He  says 
that,  on  any  sudden  invasion  by  the  French,  should  they 
come  down  the  river,  he  could  oppose  to  them  fifteen 
hundred  men  from  the  Natchez  district  ^d  from  the 
upper  parts  of  the  colony ;  he  represents,  that  his  salary, 
which  is  nominally  $6,000,  but  which  in  reality  is  re- 
duced to  $4,T67,  on  account  of  certain  deductions  to  be 
made  from  it,  is  not  adequate  to  the  exigencies  of  his 
rank  and  to  his  official  expenses ;  he  calls  the  attention 
of  the  government  to  various  improvements  to  be  made 
and  abuses  to  be  reformed,  to  the  propriety  of  increasing 
the  salary  of  some  officers  and  diminishing  that  of  othei^,^^ 
of  creating  some  offices  and  of  suppressing  severaj;  he 
proposes  the  digging  of  a  canal  from  the  ditches  that 
run  along  the  ramparts  with  which  the  town  is  encircled 
to  Bayou  St.  John,  about  a  mile  back  towards  the 
swamps;  he  represents  that  this  work  would  not  cost 
more  than  $30,000,  and  would  be  of  imm^n^  utility,  as 
it  would  give  through  Bayou  St.  John  and  the.  l^es,^  an' 
opening  t^vthe  commerce  of  N«w  Orleans  mth  Mobile, 
aad<  Fensaoola,  and  would  drain  the  putrid  waters  stog>- 


•"-  Jill 


m 


i-^ 


<)d2   INTERFSKENCE  BETWEEN   DEBTORS  AltD  OREDITOBS. 

nating  around  it  and  producing  those  epidemic3  which 
are  so  fatal  to  its  prosperity.  "Should  this  drainage  not 
be  executed,"  said  he,  "it  will  be  necessary  to  abandon 
the  town  in  less  than  three  or  four  years ;  for  the  inun- 
dations of  the  Mississippi,  which,  on  the  breaking  of  any 
one  of  its  levees  or  dykes  in  this  neighborhood,  cover 
plmoflt  all  the  streets  of  New  Orleans,  gradually  raise  by 
their  deposits  the  adjacent  lands,  and  thus  make  of  the 
town  a  sort  of  sink,  which  will  have  no  outlet  for  its 
watere."  It  appears  from  very  curious  documents  ac- 
companying this  despatch,  and  giving  the  most  detailed 
accounts  of  the  annual  expenses  of  the  colony,  including 
the  Mobile  and  Pensacola  distncts,  that  they  l^ad,  by 
degrees,  ascended  to  $776,304  in  1793,  ou  which  the 
Baron  proposed  a  reduction  of  $239,028.  The  receipts 
of  the  custom-house,  which  constituted  the  most  impor- 
tant part  of  the  revenue,  had  not  prpduced,  this  year, 
more  than  $7  6, 8 1 5.  The  military  expenses  alone  amount- 
ed to  $438,436 ;  as  to  the  pay  of  the  clergy,  it  was  only 
$12,866.  Besides  the  regular  expenses  of  the  govern- 
ment, the  supplying  of  Pensacola  and  Mobile  with  goods 
for  the  trade  with  the  Indians  required  an  annual  dis- 
bursement of  $80,000— that  is,  $40,000  for  each  one  of 
these  towns. 

On  the  17th  of  May,  1794,  the  Baron  de  Carondelet 
wrote  to  his  government  to  beg  the  King  to  step  in  be- 
tween the  inhabitants  of  Natchez  and  their  creditors,  so 
as  to  allow  to  the  former  some  delays  ta  pay  theii^  debts, 
and  thus  prevent  them  from  being  ruined  by  litigation. 

"Since  my  taking  possession  of  this  government,"  said 
he, "  my  continual  and  all  engrossing  ^^^cupations  in  main- 
taininig  pttbMc  ti^nquillity,  and  in  putting  in  a  regular  state 
of  defence  this  i>rovince,  which  is  open  on  all  sides,  an^d 
which,  from  the  date  of  the  administration  of  my  mm^ 
diate  predecessoi*  to  the  present  day,  has  n<»t  <»eiised  to 


4 


OAROimELKr  FAYOHB  THB  KATOBBZ  DISTBIOT.        388 


be  threatened  by  tlie  ambitions  designs  of  the  Ameri- 
cans^ have  consumed  and  absorbed  all  my  time  for  almost 
two  years ;  and  the  war  lately  declared  against  France 
has,  finally,  much  increo^ied  my  &axieties  and  trouble  in 
a  colony,  which  is  mostly  occupied  by  French  people, 
and  which  has  been  repeatedly  exposed  to  invasions,  both 
by  sea  and  from  the  upper  part  of  the  Mississippi. 
These  causes  have  prevented  my  submitting  sooner  to 
your  consideration  a  subject,  which  is  of  so  very  delicate 
a  nature."  Carondelet  then  informs  the  minister,  that 
the  Natchez  distiict  was  ori^nally  peopled  by  English 
and  American  emigrants,  who  settled  it  since  the  treaty 
of  peace  concluded  in  1783 ;  that  they  engaged  in  the  , 
cultivation  of  tobacco,  under  the  flattering  prospect  of 
selling  annually  to  the  royal  treasury  two  hundred  thou-  ^ 
sand  pounds  of  this  their  only  produce ;  that  they  had 
contracted  large  debts  for  the  acquisition  of  negroes  and 
of  other  things  required  by  their  agricultural  pursuits ; 
that^  in  IT 89,  on  account  of  unfavorable  circumstances, 
they  had  not  been  able  to  meet  their  obligations,  and 
had  obtained  delays  from  their  creditors  on  certain  con- 
ditions; but  that  most  of  them  had  not  been  able  to 
comply  with  those  conditions,  on  account  of  the  insufR- 
ciency  of  the  crops,  of  the  difficulty  of  selling  them,  and 
of  several  other  untoward  events,  among  which  was  the 
promulgation  of  the  royal  schedule  of  1790,  declaring 
that  the  government  had  reduced  to  forty  thousand 
pounds  the  quantity  of  tobacco  which  it  would  purchase 
for  the  future.  Carondelet  further  stated  that,  if  the 
law  was  permitted  to  have  its  course,  these  people,  rather 
than  allow  themselves  to  be  utterly  ruined,  woiJd  take 
refuge  with  their  negroes  on  the  territory  of  the  Indians 
and%he  Americans;  that  they  had  recently  undertaken, 
with  many  difficulties  to  be  overcome,  th^  tultivatioa  :of 
cdttoni  «nd  iudigoi  that  it  was  neoesaar^  to  oon^disr  that         * 


iU^ 


M^ 


C~«l 


'm^ 


0: 


534 


mtAVCtPATtoTif  or  ikduit  blavbb. 


3r 


# 


^•*.- 


%M 


they  formed  a  protection  against  tlie  expected  French 
and  American  invasions ;  that  they  had  lately  acted  like 
zealous  and  faithful  subjects,  when  three  hundred  of 
them,  at  the  close  of  the  last  year,  came  down  to'  Now 
Orleans  to  offer  their  services,  on  this  province  being 
threatened  with  an  invasion  through  the  Baliae;  that 
this  example  had  repressed  the  miichinations  of  the 
numerous  lovera  of  changes  and  innovations  who  are  to 
be  found  in  the  colony,  had  invigorated  the  timid  and 
wavering,  and  confirmed  the  loyal,  the  honest,  and  the 
courageous,  in  their  good  sentiments ;  wherefore  he 
recommended  that  the  king  be  advised  to  interpose  his 
authority  between  the  debtors  and  their  creditors,  and 
to  grant  to  the  former  a  delay  for  payment,  until  the 
gathering  in  of  the  crop  of  1800,  provided  partial  and 
annual  payments  be  made  in  the  mean  time. 

Taking  into  consideration  the  complaints  of  Caronde- 
let  as  to  the  multiplicity  of  his  duties,  the  government, 
separating  the  two  offices  of  intendant  and  goveraor, 
which  it  had  united  under  the  administration  of  Mir6 
and  since  the  departure  of  Navarro,  appointed  as  intend- 
ant Don  Francisco  de  Rendon,  who  had  been  employed 
as  Secretary  of  legation  for  Spain  in  the  United  States. 
He  was  installed  into  office  on  the  26th  of  August,  1794. 

In  consequence  of  Louisiana  having  been  detached 
from  the  bishopric  of  Havana  and  erected  into  a  dis- 
tinct see,  this  year  was  also  marked  by  the  arrival  of 
another  high  dignitary,  the  new  bishop,  Don  Luis  de 
Penalvert  y  Cardenas,  who  established  his  residence  in 
New  Orleans,  and  two  canons  were  added  to  the  clergy 
of  the  province. 

It  may  not  have  been  forgotten,  that  O'Reilly  had 
declared  it  to  be  contrary  to  the  mild  and  beneficent 
laws  of  Spaiim  that  the  Indians  be  held  in  a  state  of 
bondage,  and  that  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  would 


^M 


ORXAT  OOinXAOBATIOlT  IN  mCW  OBLEAITS. 


885 


:k^-K. 


have  to  prepare  for  the  emancipation  of  those  of  that 
race  whom  they  had  so  far  considered  as  their  lawful 
property,  but  that  the  execution  of  this  measure  should 
be  suspended,  until  the  King  should  finally  decide  upon 
it  in  his  royal  wisdom.  No  steps  had  ever  since  been 
taken  in  the  matter ;  the  King  had  been  silent ;  and  the 
Indian  slaves  had  remained  contented  with  their  situa- 
tion, when  suddenly,  in  1798  and  1794,  they,  almost  in 
a  body,  startled  Governor  Carondelet  by  applying  for 
their  freedom.  In  a  despatch  <;^  the  17tb  of  May,  he 
commented  at  length  on  the  danger  of  acquiescing  in 
their  demands,  represented  the  rui  lous  e^lects  it  wo  »!v\ 
have  for  their  owners,  and  recommended,  if  not  direct 
refusal,  at  least  measures  of  compromise,  whi  L  would 
postpone  the  evils  of  emancipation,  if .  r  +  retard  ther 
80  as  to  render  them  nugatory.  "T'ler  are  many 
reasons  to  su8pe<^t,"  said  he,  "  that  the  movement  ob- 
servable among  the  Indian  slaves  who  have  lately  made 
a  rush  to  claim  their  freedom  according  to  the  tenor  of 
our  laws,  is  attributable  to  the  suggesf^lons  of  certain 
secret  agents,  who  do  not  lose  any  opportunity  of  excit- 
ing in  these  provinces  the  dissensions  which  have  pro- 
duced the  ruin  of  the  French  colonies." 

On  the  10th  of  December,  Carondelet  informed  the 
Court  of  Madrid  that,  on  the  ^nb  of  that  month,  a  con- 
flagration, but  too  well  favoi^.^d  by  a  strong  north 
wind,  and  originating  in  Royal  street,  through  the  im- 
prudence of  some  children  playing  in  the  court-yard  of 
one  Fi'an9ois  Mayronne ,  which  was  adjacent  to  a  hay 
store,  had  consumed  in  three  hours  two  hundred  and 
twelve  of  the  most  valuable  dwellings  and  magazines, 
the  property  of  private  individuals,  as  well  as  edifices  of 
tlw  greatest  value  belonging  to  the  government.  The 
losses  of  the  merchants  were  immense;  for  only  two 
^jitores  were  spared  by  the  devouring  element.    The 


■  '^. 


4^ 


ml 


.Zf 


n 


936 


GREAT  COIWLAGBATION  IN  IfEW  ORLEANS. 


materiak  owned  by  the  Crown,  and  destroyed  by  this 
conflagration,  were  also  considerable.  "It  seems,"  said 
Oarondelet,  "  tbat  the  sufferings  inflicted  on  the  colony 
by  three  hurricanes  in  fourteen  months  were  not  enoughi-' 
He  further  stated  that,  although  the  conflagration 
of  1*788  had  consumed  a  larger  number  of  buildings, 
still  the  pecuniary  losses  on  this  occasion  were  much 
heavier.  To  form  any  idea  of  what  they  were,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  Governor  Miro  estimated 
those  incurred  in  1788,  at  $2,595,561,  The  province 
was  again  threatened  with  famine,  for  almost  all  the 
provisions  had  been  destroyed,  and  not  more  than  one 
thousand  barrels  of  flour  remained  for  the  consumption 
of  the  inhabitants  and  of  the  troops.  Fortunately,  the 
fire  did  not  reach  the  cathedral,  which  was  the  gift  of 
Don  Andres  Almonaster  to  the  city,  and  which  had  just 
been  completed.  In  order  the  better  to  avoid  for  the 
future  the  recurrence  of  such  calamities,  Oarondelet 
recommended  that  premiums  be  granted  by  his  Catholic 
Majesty  to  such  of  his  subjects  in  New  Orleans  as  should 
rebuild  with  terraced  roofs,  or  with  roofe  made  of  tiles 
instead  of  shingles  as  formerly. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  remark  here,  before 
closing  the  recital  of  those  events  which  happened  in 
1794,  and  which  are  connected  with  the  history  of  Loui- 
siana, that  the  first  regular  newspaper  published  in  the 
colony  made  its  appearance  this  year,  under  the  name 
of  "  Le  Monitenr  de  la  Louisiane,"  or  "  The  Monitor  of 
Louisiana." 

The  internal  condition  of  Louisiana  was  certainly 
sufficient  to  give  occupation  to  the  Baron  de  Carondolet, 
but  the  dangers  which  threatened  her  from  abroad 
were  of  such  magnitude,  as  to  fill  him  with  the  keenest 
anxieties,  and  deeply  to  impress  him  with  the  heavy 
responsibility  which  circumstances  had  prepared  for  him. 


:^#- 


'h 


▲DDBBBS  OF  FBENOH  JAOOSmS. 


337 


III  the  begirining  of'the  year  1794,  arsociety  of  PrencH. 
Jacobins,  establislied  in  PbilailelpMa,*  Had  caused  to  be 
printed,  and  circulated  in  Louisiana  the  foUo-img 
address: 

"LiniBBTY,  Eqfamtt. 
"The  Freemen  of  France  to  their  brothers  in  Louisiana: 
2d  year  of  the  French  Republic. 

"The  moment  has  arriv^ed  when  despotism  must  dis- 
appear from  the  earth.  France,  having  obtained  her 
freedom,  and  constituted  herself  into  a  republic,  after 
having  made  knoWn  to  mankind  their  rights,  after  hav- 
ing achieved  the  most  glorious  victories  over  her 
enemies,  is  not  satisfied  with  successes  by  which  she 
alone  would  profit,  but  declares  to  all  nations  that  she 
is  ready  to  give  her  powerful  assistance  to  those  that 
may  be  disposed  to  follow  her  virtuous  example. 

"Frenchmen  of  Louisiana,  you  still  love  your  mother 
country ;  such  a  feeling  is  innate  in  your  hearts.  The 
French  nation,  knowing  your  sentiments,  and  indignant 
at  seeing  you  the  victims  of  the  tyrants  by  whom  you 
have  been  so  long  oppressed,  can  and  will  avenge  your 
wrongs.  A  perjured  king,  prevaricatiog  ministers,  vile 
and  insolent  courtiers,  who  fattened  on  the  labors  of  the 
people  whose  blood  they  sucked,  have  suffered  the  pun?« 
ishment  due  to  their  crimes.  The  French  natioii,  irri- 
tated by  the  outrages  and  injustices  of  which  it  had  been 
the  object,  rose  against  those  oppressors,  and  they  disap- 
peared befi>re  its  wrath,  as  rapidly  as  dust  obeys  the 
breath  of  an  impetuous  wind. 

'^The  hour  has  struck,  Frenchmen  of  Louisiana;  has- 
ten to  profit  by  the  great  lesson  which  yoQ- have  re- 
ceived.     ,■  ■   • 

*^Nowk  the  time  to  cease  being  the  fiLlaves  of  a  govem 


*  Ciy«iia«I«t'i  iiflijpttMlk  6f  &«  SMi  of  F«br«uu7,  ItU. 


22 


t 


# 


If- 


"J! 


% 


)Sfl 


338 


ADDRESS   OF  FBENOH  JACOBINS. 


■*'!■■;■    ■ 


4^;^:.^ 


QnFfr 

nnfnffl^^^B'il 

Wi' 

MiWlpi 

m 

aMByBBMBHl^KliiiM 

m 

ft' 

jHI  Ht^^^HiM 

jMii 

Bmlf 

MBi.^ 

ment,  to  whicli  you  were  sHameMly  sold ;  and  no  longer 
to  be  led  on  like  a  herd  of  cattle,  by  men  who  with  one 
word  can  strip  you  of  what  you  hold  most  dear— liberty 
and  property. 

"  The  Spanish  despotism  has  surpassed  in  atroc  Ity  and 
stupidity  all  the  other  despotisms  that  have  ever  been 
known.  Has  not  barbarism  always  been  the  companion 
of  that  government,  which  has  rendered  the  Spanish 
name  execrable  and  horrible  in  the  whole  continent  of 
America  ?  Is  it  not  that  nation  who,  under  the  hypo- 
critical mask  of  religion,  ordered  or  permitted  the  sacri- 
fice of  more  than  twenty  millions  of  men  ?  Is  it  not  the 
same  race  that  depopulated,  impoverished  and  degraded 
whole  countries,  for  the  gratification  of  an  insatiable 
avarice  ?  Is  it  not  the  nation  that  has  oppressed  and 
still  oppresses  you  under  a  heavy  yoke  ? 

"  What  have  been  the  fruits  of  so  many  crimes  ?  The 
annihilation,  the  disgi'ace,  the  impoverishment,  and  the 
besotting  of  the  Spanish  nation  in  Europe,  and  a  fatal 
lethargy,  servitude,  or  death  for  an  infinite  number  of 
the  inhabitants  of  America. 

"The  Indians  cut  down  the  tree  whose  fruits  they 
wish  to  reach  and  gather.  A  fit  illustration  of  despotism ! 
The  fate  of  nations  is  of  no  importance  in  the  eye  of 
tyranny.  Everything  is  to  be  sacrificed  to  satisfy  capri- 
cious tastes  and  transient  wants,  and  all  those  it  rules 
over  must  groan  under  the  chains  of  slavery. 

"Frenchmen  of  Louisiana,  the  unjust  treatment  you 
have  undergone  must  have  sufficiently  convinced  you  of 
these  sad  truths,  and  your  misfortunes  must  undoubtedly 
have  deeply  impressed  your  souls  with  the  desire  of  seiz- 
ing an  honorable  opportunity  of  avenging  your  wrongs. 

"Compare  with  your  situation  that  of  your  friends— 
the  free  Americans.  Look  at  the  province  of  Kentucky, 
deprived  of  outlets  for  its  products,  uid  yet^  notwith- 


ABDBESS   OF  FRSKOH   JACOBINS. 


S89 


ionger 
bli  one 
iberty 

Xy  and 
r  been 
iponion 
Spanisli 
nent  of 
B  bypo- 
tie  sacii- 
not  the 
egraded 
asatiablo 
3sed  and 

es?   The 

and  the 

d  a  fatal 

imber  of 

uits  they 
jspotisml 
le  eye  of 
jfy  capri- 
le  it  rules 

lent  you 
}d  yon  of 
loubtedly 
re  of  seiz- 
Ir  wrongs. 
IfiiendB— 
lentucky, 
notwith- 


standing these  obstacles,  and  merely  through  the  geniM 
influence  of  a  free  government,  rapidly  increasing  its 
population  and  wealth,  and  already  presaging  a  pros- 
perity which  causes  the  Spanish  government  to  tremble. 
•  "Treasure  up  in  your  minds  the  following  observa- 
tions; They  divulge  the  secret  springs  of  all  despotic 
governments,  because  they  tear  off  the  veil  which  covers 
their  abominable  designs.  Men  are  created  and  boj'n 
to  love  one  another,  to  be  united  and  happy,  and  they 
would  be  so  effectually,  if  those  who  call  themselves  the 
images  of  God  on  earth — ^if  kings — ^had  not  found  out 
the  means  of  sowing  discord  among  them  and  destroy- 
ing their  felicity. 

"Tlie  peopling  of  Kentucky  has  been  the  work  of  a 
few  years ;  your  colony,  although  better  situated,  is  daily 
losing  its  population,  because  it  lacks  liberty. 

"The  Americans,  who  are  free,  after  consecratmg  all 
their  time  to  cultivating  their  lands  and  to  expanding 
their  industry,  are  sure  to  enjoy  quietly  the  fruits  of  their 
labors,  but,  with  regard  to  yourselves,  all  that  you  pos- 
sess depends  on  the  caprice  of  a  viceroy,  who  is  always 
unjust,  avaricious,  and  vindictive. 

"These  are  evils  which  a  firm  determination,  oncC 
taken,  can  shake  off.  Only  have  resolution  and  energy, 
and  one  instant  will  suffice  to  change  your  unhappy  con- 
dition. Wretched  indeed  would  you  become,  if  you 
failed  in  such  an  undertaking !  Because,  the  very  name 
of  Frenchmen  being  hateful  to  all  kings  and  their  ac- 
complices, they  would,  in  return  for  your  attachment  to 
us,  render  your  chains  more  insupportable,  and  woidd 
persecute  you  with  unheard  of  vexations.. 

"You  quiver,  no  doubt,  with  indignation ;  you  feel  in 
your  heaH»  the  desire  of  deserving  the  honorable  appel- 
lation of  freemen,  but  the  fear  of  not  bi^itg^^  assisted  and 
of  failing  in  joxxv  attempt  deadens  yoof  zeal    Bismss 


*■' 


%' 


m 


MO 


ADDiSESB   OF  FBENCH  JAOOBICTS. 


Buoli  apprebonsions :  know  ye^  that  your  brethren  the 
Frencb,  who  have  attacked  with  success  the  opanish 
Government  in  Europe,  will  in  a  short  time  present 
themselves  your  coasts  with  naval  forc^;  tha,t  the 
republicans  if  'he  western  portion  of  the  United  States 
are  ready  >  ^ome  down  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  in 
company  with  a  considerable  number  of  French  repub- 
licans, and  to  rush  to  your  assistance  under  the  bannei-s 
of  France  and  liberty ;  and  that  you  have  every  assur- 
ance of  success.  Therefore,  inhabitants  of  Louisiana, 
show  who  you  are ;  prove  that  you  have  not  been  stu- 
pified  by  despotism,  and  that  you  have  retained  in  your 
breasts  French  valor  and  intrepidity ;  demonstrate  that 
yOu  are  worthy  of  being  free  and  independent,  because 
we  do  not  solicit  you  to  unite  yourselves  with  us,  but  to 
seek  your  own  freedom.  When  you  shall  have  the  sole 
control  of  your  actions,  you  will  bfe  able  to  adopt  a  re- 
publican constitution,  and  being  assisted  by  France  so 
long  as  your  weakness  will  not  permit  you  to  protect 
or  defend  yourselves,  it  will  be  in  your  power  to  unite 
voluntarily  with  her  and  your  neighbors — ^the  United 
States — ^forming  with  these  two  republics  an  alliance 
which  will  be  the  liberal  basis  on  which,  henceforth, 
shall  stand  our  mutual  political  and  commercial  interests. 
Your  country  wiU  derive  the  greatest  advantages  from 
so  auspicious  a  revolution ;  and  the  glory  with  which 
you  wlQ  cover  yourselves  will  equal  the  prosperity  which 
you  will  secure  for  yourselves  and  descendants.  Screw 
up  your  courage.  Frenchmen  of  Louisiana.  Away  with 
pusillanimity — 9a  ira — 5a  ira-— audaces  fortuna  juvat." 

.lie  distribution  of  this  inflammatory  address  in  Loui 
siana,  through  secret  agents,  caused  great  alarms  to  the 
Baron  de  Oarondelet.  These  idarms  were  incjreased  by 
his  knowledge  i>f  the  efforts  made  by  Genet^  the  f^nch 

9  ■ 


IKTRIGtrEk^  •  OF  GENITf . 


341 


inish 

jsent 

1  the 

itates 

pi  in 

Bpub- 

nnei-s 

assur- 

Lsiana, 

n  Btu- 

lyour 

;e  that 

realise 

b\itto 

he  sole 

pt  a  rc- 

ance  so 

protect 

i^o  unite 
nited 
lliance 
eforth, 
[terests. 
from 
whicli 

Screw 
.y  witb 
vat." 

Lorn- 
to  tho 
ied% 


Minister  near  the  government  of  the  Uniterl  States,  to 
set  up  againstv  Iiouisiana  an  expedition  composed  of 
Frenchmen  and  Americans,  of  which  he  himself  was  to 
be  the  commander-in-chief.  Genet  had  speculated  on 
the  prejudices  of  the  Western  people,  and  had  sent,  par- 
ticularly to  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  active,  enthu- 
siastic, and  intelligent  agents,  who,  circulating  among 
the  hardy  population  and  the  remotest  pioneers  of  the 
Y/est,  discoursed  glibly  on  the  innumerable  advantages 
which  would  accrue  to  these  people,  if  they  separated- 
from  the  rest  of  the  United  States,  if  they  helped  to 
enlrauchise  Louisiana  by  an  invasion,  an(  if  they  formed 
with  her  an  alliance  under  the  protectioi  of  France- 
For  enterprises  of  this  kind,  fiery  and  adventurous  spirits 
are  always  at  hand,  in  all  countries  and  in  all  ages ;  and 
the  French  emissaries  in  the  West  and  South  seduced  a 
considerable  number  of  men,  who  immediately  prepared 
for  the  execution  of  the  undertaking  in  which  they  had 
enlisted.  Armed  bands  had  been  gathered  on  the 
southern  frontier  of  Georgia,  and  even  a  large  body  of 
Creek  warrioj-s  was  in  readiness  to  join  the  invaders. 
Tt  was  feared  at  the  same  time,  that  an  attack  would  be 
made  from  the  Ohio  settlements,  and  that  the  spring 
flood  of  the  Mississippi  would  bring  down  the  enemy, 
l>orne  swiftly  onward  by  the  rising  waters  of  that  river. 
An  individual,  of  the  name  of  Clark,  was  the  main  actor 
in  all  +hese  military  preparations  in  the  South,  and  Au- 
guste  de  it  Chaise,  a  native  of  Louisiana  and  a  grandson 
of  the  King's  former  ordaining  commissary  (commissaire 
ordonnateur)  who  had  come  to  the  colony  ifl  lYSS,  had 
been  sent  by  Genet  to  Kentucky  to  recruit  forces,  and 
was  to  be  the  lea&r  of  those  invaders  who  were  to 
descend  ih^  Ohio  land  Misfflssippi.  ;  y 

The  Baron,  when  such^  dangiBtt  tiireateiied  him- did 
not  sleep  at  his  post.    He  eemplefted  the  foi^cations  of 


# 


15^ 


■■#■ 


■0 


W 


M- . 


>i  As' 


f   ■    '      ;t"  ft?'-     L''J-,:  ;] 


til 


'-■■M 


?':»M*i 


i^-:' 


842 


MirXTARr  BESOUBOES   OF  THE   COLONY. 


it- 1 


i  \>  Of' 

Hi^'^j^^l^H^B 

ilfiji'-' 

"■  1:^ 

jMew   Orleans,   strengthened   others   already  existing 
throughout  the  province,  and  mustering  all  his  forces, 
organized  them  to  meet  the  expected  coirfljct.    Accpr- 
#;,    "'^      ding  to  a  loport  made  by  him  to  am  govenimeni,  he 
could  rely,  aus  fit  for  military  service  ifj  ^'le  colony,  on 
abont  *ix  thoiisand  militia-m<  n,  and  he  af^rmed  Iha.- 
within  three  weeks,  tliree  thoiisand  of  them  could   be 
concentrated  at  any  uno  point  in  the  province.    Not 
trusting  entirely  to  tlie:  3  means  of  defence,  he  had 
recourse  to  the  politic  aiis  of  the  (iipiomatist,  »nd   a 
order  to  appease  tl^e  hostility  of  the  Western  people,  he 
ji'tnoved  some  of  the  restrictions  wiiicli  craat.,|7ed  their 
trade,  granted  again  important  privilege  j  to  some  enter- 
prsHmg  and  iaiuential  men  among  them,  and  prepared 
hiei;  'Jf  to  renew  Miro's  former  scheme  of  winning  over 
thtit.  restless  and  energetic  population  to  the  dominion 
of  Spain.    The  firm  and  loyal  intciiference  of  Washing- 
ton prevented  the  attack  which  was  threatened  from 
the  Ohio  districts,  checked  the  intrigues  of  Genet,  and 
relieved  the  apprehensions  of  the  Spimish  authorities  in 
Louisiana.    The  Governor  of  Georgia  also  issued  his 
proclamation  against  the  unlawful  enterprise  meditated 
Under  Clark,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Creek^  against 
East  Flor*  ia.    De  la  Chaise,  who,  of  all  the  agents  em- 
ployed by  Genet,  was  the  one  most  feared  by  Caronde- 
let,  on  account  of  his  rash  intrepidity,  his  indefatigable 
activity,  his  zeal  for  France,  and:  his  exquisite  address, 
and  because,  being  a  native  of  Louisiana  and  belonging 
to  one  of  its  most  powerful  families,  he  exercised  conside- 
rable infi^nence  in  the  colony,  seeing  that  he  had  to 
abandon  all  the  hopes  he  had  conceived  to  wrest  Louisi- 
ana from  the  domination  of  Spain^' retired  from  Ken- 
tucky, and  took  service  in  the  French  army,  after  having 
laid  before  the  democratic  society  of  Leidngton.  the  fol- 
V)wing  conmmnication  ;^     ,    _   ; 

*  American  State  Papers,  ToL  i.,  p.  981. 


ri% 


*  •      '■ 


#.. 


DE  LA  CHJUSEB  ADDRESS. 


848 


'*  Citizens, 

"Unforeseen  events,  the  effects  of  causes  which  it  is 
unnecessaiy  here  to  develop,  have  stopped  the  march  of 
two  thousand  brave  Kentuckians,  who,  strong  in  their 
courage,  in  the  justice  of  their  rights,  in  the  purity  of 
their  cause,  and  in  the  general  assent  of  their  fellow- 
citizens,  and  convinced  of  the  brotherly  dispositions  of 
the  Louisionians,  waited  only  for  their  orders  to  go  and 
take  away,  by  the  irresistible  power  of  their  aims,  from 
those  despotic  usurpers  the  Spaniards,  the  possession  of 
the  Mississippi,  secure  for  their  country  the  navigation 
of  it,  break  the  chains  of  the  Americans  and  of  their 
Fi'ench  brethren  in  the  province  of  Louisiana,  hoist  up 
the  flag  of  liberty  in  the  name  of  the  French  republic, 
and  lay  the  foundation  of  the  prosperity  and  happiness 
of  two  nations  destined  by  nature  to  be  but  one,  and  so 
situated  as  to  be  the  most  happy  in  the  universe. 

"Citizens :  The  greater  the  attempts  you  have  made 
towards  the  success  of  that  expedition,  the  more  sensible 
you  must  be  of  the  impediments  which  delay  'M  execu- 
tion, and  the  more  energetic  should  your  efforts  be 
towards  procuring  new  means  of  success.  There  is  one 
from  which  I  expect  the  greatest  advantages  and  which 
may  be  decisive — ^that  is,  an  address  to  the  national 
Convention,  or  to  the  Executive  Council  of  France.  In 
the  name  of  my  countrymen  of  Louisiana,  in  the  name 
of  your  own  interest,  I  dai*e  once  more  ask  you  this  new 
proof  of  patriotism. 

"Being  deprived  of  my  dearest  hopes,  and  of  the 
pleasure,  after  an  absence  of  fourteen  years  and  a  pro- 
scription of  three,  of  returning  to  the  bosom  of  my 
family,  my  friends,  and  my  countrymen,  I  have  only  one 
coutse  to  follow— that  of  going  to  France  and  expressing 
to  the  representatives  of  the  French  people  the  cry,  the 
general  wish  of  the  Louisianians  to  become  part  of  the 


# 


*■ 


« 


:# 


344 


DB  LA  CUAIBE^S  DEATH. 


Pi'onch  republic — informing  them,  at  the  same  time,  of 
the  most  ardent  desire  which  tho  Kentuokians  have  had, 
and  will  v  i^tinue  to  liave  for  ever,  to  take  the  moat 
active  part  *  any  undertaking  tending  to  open  to  them 
the  free  navigation  of  the  MissiijsippL 

"The  French  republicans,  in  their  sublime  constitu- 
tional act,  have  proffered  their  protection  to  all  those 
nations  who  may  have  the  courage  to  shake  off  the  yoke 
of  tyranny.  The  Louisianians  have  the  most  sacred  right 
to  it.  They  are  French,  but  have  been  sacrificed  to 
despotism  by  arbitrary  power.  The  honor,  the  glory, 
the  duty  of  the  National  Convention  is  to  grant  them 
their  powerful  support. 

"Every  petition  or  plan  relative  to  that  important 
object  would  meet  with  the  highest  consideration.  An 
address  from  the  Democratic  Society  of  Lexington  would 
give  it  a  greater  weight. 

"  Accept,  Citizens,  the  farewell^  not  the  last,  of  a 
brother  who  is  determined  to  sacrifice  everything  in  his 
power  for  the  liberty  of  his  country,  and  the  prosperity 
of  the  generous  inhabitants  of  Kentucky.  Salut  en  la 
patrie.  . 

"  AuGusTR  La  Chaise." 

This  gentleman  perished  in  an  ambuscade  in  St.  Do- 
mingo, in  the  year  1803,  a  short  time  alter  he  had  been 
raised  to  the  grade  of  General.  Had  not  death  stopped 
him  ?ii  his  career,  when  he  was  still  in  the  meridian  of 
life,  it  is  to  be  presumed  from  what  he  had  already  ac- 
complished, that  he  would  have  risen  to  higher  honors, 
8^nd  might  have  left  behind  him  a  memory  of  which  his 
native  country,,  Louiaian%  would  have  been  proud. 

As  s^on  as  the  danger  of  an  invasion  had  passed  away, 
t|ie  Baron  def  Garondelet  began  to  throw  impediments 
in  the  way  of  the  western  trade,  which  he  had  tcaaporar 


k 


'i^tft 


BEN£WAL  OF  WILKUfSON'B  BCH£MB9. 


84« 


rily  favored,  and  again  impo6ed  reBtrictions  calculated 
to  £eK!ilitate  tlie  operations  of  those  agents  whom  he  had 
sent  to  Kentucky  to  tempt  the  people  into  a  separation 
from  the  United  States  and  an  alliance  with  Spain,  by 
which  the  much  desired  outlet  of  the  Mississippi  nould 
he  secured  to  them.  The  times  were  highly  auspicious  for 
the  intrigues  of  Spain.  Not  only  were  the  inhabitants  of 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee  weary  of  struggling  against 
such  obstacles  to  their  commerce,  and  irritated  against  the 
Federal  Government  that  could  not  remove  them,  but 
Western  Pennsylvania  also  had  been  thrown  into  a  fer- 
ment by  the  "  excise  on  distilled  spirits,"  giving  rise  to 
what  is  commonly  called,  in  American  history,  "  the 
Whisky  Insurrection,"  which  had  taken  such  propor^ 
tions  as  to  require  the  presence  of  an  army  of  twelve 
thousand  troops  from  the  Eastern  States  to  quell  it; 
Almost  all  the  tribes  of  the  North-western  Indians,  at 
the  instigation  of  the  Eng^h,  were  waging  open  war 
against  the  United  States ;  and  the  General  Government 
was  embarrassed  by  tedious  and  vexatious  negotij^tions 
with  Great  Britain,  Spain,  and  even  their  old  ally 
France — which  negotip.tions  assumed  at  times  an  angry 
tone,  ^Leading  to  the  belief  that  hostilities  might  perhaps 
ensue.  England  in  the  North-west,  and  Spain  in  the 
South,  seemed  to  unite  ih  pres^;^  with  all  their  weight 
on  both  flanks  of  the  West,  to  break  it  loose  from  the 
Federal  Government,  and  force  it  into  a  pennanent 
separation.  Lord  Dorchester  had  sent  from  Canada, 
and  the  Baron  de  Carondekt,  from  Louisiana^  numerous 
emissaries  who  were  emulously  at  work  to  heat  and  «S' 
asperate  the  different  parties  then  existing  ikiKentu<^3f^ 
and  to  produce  a  state  of  feeling  which  might  be  |Kvor- 
able  to  their  views. 

Oarondelet's  chi^  emissary  was  ^homaB^Pow^r,  jn 
Englishman  by  biilli,  but  nt^turalked  4#|>liBi8l^v^ 


m 


.'\  ■"'(^i, 


"Mo;, 


?46 


BEXEWAL  OF  WILEnraON^S  SCHEMES. 


and  veiy  zealous  in  the  service  of  his  adopted  country. 
This  man  was  intelligent,  cautious,  and  had  a  natural 
disposition  to  intrigue.  He  was  thought  by  the  Baron 
de  Oarondelet  to  be  a  fit  subject  to  be  employed  on  the 
hazardous  mission  of  sowing  the  seeds  of  sedition  in  the 
West,  and  was  sent  thither  under  the  pretence  of  col- 
lecting materials  for  a  natural  history  of  that  section  of 
the  country,  but  really  to  revive  with  Wilkinson,  Innis, 
Sebastian,  and  others,  the  plots  which  had  been  carried 
on  under  Miro's  administration. 

Whilst  these  fruitless  intrigues  were  afoot  and  were 
engrossing  the  attention  of  the  Baron  de  Carondelet,  the 
year  1794  was  marked  by  an  event  which  was  to  con- 
vert the  fields  of  Louisiana  into  as  fertile  mines  of  wealth 
as  ever  lay  hid  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  So  far,  the 
results  of  the  agricultural  labors  of  the  colonists  had 
been  insignificant.  To  the  cultivation  of  indigo  they 
had,  hitherto,  mostly  addicted  themselves,  and  for 
several  consecutive  years  it  had  been  sadly  unsuccessful. 
Hurricanes  had  repeatedly  swept  over  the  land,  and 
other  strange  vicissitudes  in  the  seasons  had  destroyed 
the  crops.  As  it  were  to  complete  the  ruin  of  the  un- 
fortunate planters,  an  insect  had  lately  made  its  appear- 
ance, and  invariably  *^tacked  the  indigo  plant.  Every 
year  it  devoured  the  A^^ves  with  incredible  rapidity, 
and  left  nothing  but  the  naked  stems  standing,  to  mock 
the  eye  of  the  farmer  and  to  remind  him  of  the  extent 
of  his  losses.  Particularly  in  the  years  1793  and  1794^ 
these  ravages  had  been  so  general,  that  the  whole  pro- 
vince had  been  thrown  into  a  state  of  consternation  and 
despair.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  Eice  and  corn  were 
produced  ^or  the  wants  of  the  country  only,  and  were 
not  e3q)orted  ^th  much  advantage.  As  to  cottoii,  it 
hardly  repaid  tile  labor  of  cultivation,  on  account  of  the 
inexperience  of  the  planters  and  of  the  difficulty  which 


I 


%■ 


were 

were 

bon,  it 

of  the 

which 


fi^-; 


ETIENITE  DE  BOR]^. 


947 


was  then  felt  in  separating  the  seed  from  the  wool.  Tlie 
manufacture  of  sugar  had  been  abandoned  since  1706, 
as  being  unsuited  to  the  climate,  and  only  a  few  indi\> 
duals  continued  to  plant  canes  in  the  neighborhood  of 
New  Orleans,  to  be  sold  in  the  market  of  that  town.  It 
is  true  that  two  Spaniards,  Mendez  and  Solis,  had  lately 
given  more  extension  to  the  planting  of  that  reed,  but 
they  hod  never  succeeded  in  manufacturing  sugar.  One 
of  them  boiled  its  juice  into  syrup,  and  the  other  dis- 
tilled it  into  a  spirituous  liquor,  of  a  very  indifferent 
quality,  caUed  taffia. 

When  the  whole  agricultural  interest  of  Louisiana  was 
thus  prostrated,  and  looking  round  for  the  disco  reiy  of 
some  means  to  escape  from  annihilation,  when  the  eager 
and  anxious  inquiry  of  every  planter  was :  "  What  shall 
I  do  to  pay  my  debts  and  support  my  family  ?" — ^the 
energy  of  one  of  the  most  spirited  and  respected  citizens 
of  Louisiana  suddenly  saved  her  from  utter  ruin,  and 
raised  her  to  that  state  of  prosperity  which  has  increased 
with  every  successive  year. 

That  individual  was  Etienne  de  Bore,  who  was  born 
in  the  Illinois  district  of  Louisiana  in  It 40,  and  who  had 
gone  back  to  France  with  his  parents  when  he  was  only 
four  years  old.  He  was  of  a  distinguished  Norman 
family,  being  lineally  descended  of  Robert  de  Bore,  who 
was,  in  1652,  one  of  the  king's  counsellor^:),  director  general 
of  the  post-office  department,  and  one  of  the  stewards  of 
the  king's  household,*  <fec.  Etienne  de  Bore,  when  his 
age  permitted  it,  entered  into  that  privileged  body  of 
the  king's  household  troops,  called  the  "  mousquetaires," 
or  guardsmen.  None  could  be  a  ^^  mousquetaire"  unless 
he  was  iioble  by  birth ;  every  "  mousquetaire"  had  the 
grade  of  captain,  and  the  Captain  of  a  company  of 

*  Conseiller  de  roi,  controlear  general  dea  postet,  et  maltre  dee  coorrien  d« 
^aris  4  0rl4ui%  msitre  d'hote!  de  la  mMsoi^  da  toi,  Ao. 


# 


M- 


* 


* 


^M''y 


■  J    rilt    '>  ■     ■•' 


"#' 


M 


'   i 


348 


THE   FIRST  SUOAB  PLAHTTJI. 


'*  mousquetaires"  had  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  General. 
Etienne  de  Bor^  had  left  the  mousquetaires  in  1772,  to 
assume  the  command  of  a  company  of  cavahy.  But  the 
circumstance  of  his  having,  the  year  before,  married  in 
Paris  the  daughter  of  Destrehan,  the  ex-treasurer  of 
Louisiana  when  it  was  a  French  colony,  operated  a 
change  in  his  pareer,  by  inducing  him  to  return  to  Louis- 
iana, where  his  wife  had  some  property.  Etienne  de 
Bore  had  settled  on  a  plantation  which  was  situated  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  six  miles  above  New 
Orleans.  There  he  had,  like  the  majority  of  the  planters, 
given  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  indigo,  and  he 
had  also  seen  his  hopes  blasted,  and  himself  and  family 
threatened  with  entire  ruin. 

In  these  critical  cor\|unctures,  he  determined  to  renew 
the  attempts  which  had  been  repeatedly  msLde  to  manu- 
facture sugar.  Ho  immediately  prepared  to  go  into  all 
the  expenses  and  incur  all  the  obligations  consequent  on 
so  costly  an  undertaking.  His  wife  warned  him  that  her 
father  had,  in  former  years,  vainly  made  a  similar  at- 
tempt; she  represented  that  he  was  hazarding  on  the 
cast  of  a  die  all  that  remained  of  their  means  of  existeuce ; 
that,  if  he  failed,  as  was  so  probable,  he  would  reduce 
his  family  to  hopeless  poverty ;  that  he  was  of  an  age, 
being  over  fifty  years  old,  when  fate  was  not  to  be 
tempted  by  doubtful  experiments,  as  he  could  not  rear 
sonably  entei'tain  the  hope  of  a  sufficiently  long  life  to 
rebuild  his  fortune,  if  once  completely  shattered ;  and 
that  he  would  not  only  expose  himself  to  ruin,  but  also 
to  a  risk  much  more  to  be  dreaded — ^that  of  falling  within 
the  grasp  of  creditors.  Friends  and  relations  joined  their 
remonstrances  to  hers,  but  could  not  shake  the  strong 
resolve  of  his  energetic  mind.  E!e  had  fully  matured  his 
plan,  and  was  deterniined  to  sink  or  swim  with  it.  'There 
are  circumstances  in  a  mm's  life  when  he  must  know 


«••' 


% 


jf* 


#  m 


4*-' 


i 


'i^f-tf 


^' 


# 


TBJC  FIRST  BUOAB  PLANTEB. 


840 


'*  .. .» 


how  to  play,  coolly  and  eagaciously,  a  desperate  game. 
Bor^  felt  it,  and  braced  up  hb  strength  to  fliug  himself 
on  ^'  the  tide  which,  if  taken  at  the  flood,  was  to  lead 
him  to  fortune,  or  if  not,  was  to  wreck  him  among  the 
shoals  of  life.'^ 

Purchasing  a  quantity  of  canes  from  Mendez  and  Soils, 
he  began  to  plant  in  1794,  and  to  make  all  the  other 
necessary  preparations,  and,  in  1795,  he  made  a  crop  of 
sugar  which  sold  for  twelve  thousand  dollara — a  large 
sum  at  that  time.    Bore's  attempt  had  not  been  without 
exciting  the  keenest  interest ;  many  had  frequently  visit- 
ed him  during  the  year,  to  witness  his  preparations ; 
gloomy  predictions  had  been  set  afloat,  and,  on  the  day 
when  the  giinding  of  the  cane  was  to  begin,  a  large 
number  of  the  most  respectable  inhabitants  had  gathered 
in  and  about  the  sugar-house,  to  be  present  at  the  failure 
or  s^iccess  of  the  experiment.     Would  the  syrup  granu- 
late ?    Would  it  be  converted  into  sugar  ?    The  crowd 
waited  with  eager  impatience  for  the  moment  when  the 
man  who  watches  the  cootion  of  the  juice  of  the  cone, 
determines  whether  it  is  ready  to  granulate.    When  that 
moment  arrived,  the  stillness  of  death  came  among  them, 
each  one  holding  his  breath,  and  feeling  that  it  was  a 
matter  of  ruin  or  prosperity  for  them  all.    Suddenly  the 
sugar-maker  cried  out  with  exultation :  "  It  granulates  I" 
and  the  crowd  repeated :  "  It  granulates  1"    Inside  and 
outside  of  the  building  one  could  have  heard  the  won- 
derfuHiding8,flying  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  dying  in 
the  distance,  as  if  a  hundred  glad  echoes  were  telling  it 
*to  one  another.    Each  one  of  the  bystanders  pressed 
on,  to  ascertain  the  fact  on  the  evidence  of  his  own  senses, 
and,  when  it  cdnld  no  longer  be  doubted,  ikere  came  a 
shoiitof  joy,  and  aU  flocked  around  Etienne  Bore,  over- 
whelming him  with  cbngratidations,  and  almost  hugging 
the  man  whom  they  caUodthQirsftviofti^— the  saviour  of 


# 


*i: 


*,*«■» 


# 


im- 


'3?j-r^^; 


'•♦I 


V  >  '■  ^  »^ 


umf 


■m 


ih 


'V^n*.;' 


850 


OAROTTOELET'S  PROCIAMATIOir. 


It  V 


Louisiana.  Fifty-seven  years  have  elapsed,  and  att  event, 
which  produced  so  much  excitement  at  the  time,  is  very 
nearly  obliterated  from  the  memory  of  the  present  gene- 
ration ;  but  it  may  be  permitted  to  the  filial  piety  of  a 
grandson  to  record  in  these  pages,  with  an  honest  pride, 
the  indebtedness  of  his  native  country  to  a  cherished 
ancescor. 

The  population  of  Louisiana  had  been  steadily  increas- 
ing, notwithstanding  the  obstacles  and  even  calamities 
which  had  retarded  its  progress,  and,  in  the  beginning 
of  1795,  the  Cabildo  made  a  representation  to  the  King 
on  their  inadequacy  to  fulfil  their  duties,  and  prayed  for 
the  creation  of  six  additional  offices  of  "  regidor,"  which 
petition  was  subsequently  granted. 

If  the  fears  of  an  immediate  attack  had  disappeared, 
the  excitement  produced  in  Louisiana  by  the  French 
rev(5lution,  the  intrigues  of  Genet,  and  the  rumors  of  an 
invasion  by  De  la  Chaise,  who  was  thought  to  be  coming, 
as  he  had  promised,  "  to  give  freedom  to  the  land  of  his 
birth,"  had  not  entirely  subsided.  In  such  circumstances, 
says  Judge  Martin  in  his  History  of  Louisiana,  the  Baron 
thought  that  the  strictest  vigilance  was  required  in  New 
Orleans,  and  availed  himself  of  some  nocturnal  depreda- 
tions, to  issue  a  proclamation  enforcing  a  severe  police 
and  directing  the  shutting  of  the  gates  at  an  early 
hour. 

In  this  proclamation  he  complained  of  "  the  success 
with  which  evil-minded,  turbulent  and  enthusiastic  indi- 
viduals, who  certainly  ha'  nothing  to  lose,  had  spread 
false  rumors,  calculated  give  rise  to  the  most  complete 
distrust  between  th"  orovernment  and  the  people, 
whereby  the  provinc  A^as  threatened  with  all  the  disas- 
ters to  which  the  French  colonies  had  fallen  a  prey." 

Afber  this,  the  proclamation  announces  that*  "  to 

*  Martin's  History  of  Louisiana,  vol.  iL,  p^  127. 


•#' 


THE'  CAiBOiKDELirr  O^SAL. 


351 


tiisbofe  order  and  public  tranquillity,  Syndics,  chosen 
iamong  tlie  most  notable  planters,  are  to  be  appointed, 
residing  within  about  nine  miles  of  each  other,  to  be 
Subordinate  to  thie  commandant,  to  whom  they  are  to 
give  weekly  sUscounts  of  every  important  occurrence. 

"  It  is  made  the  duty  of  every  one  havmg  the  know- 
ledge, even  by  hearsay,  of  any  offence,  or  seditions 
expressions  tending  to  excite  alarm  or  disturb  public 
tranquillity,  to  give  immediate  notice  to  the  Syndic, 
commandant  or  governor. 

"Every  assemblage  of  more  than  eight  persons,  to 
consult  on  public  matters,  is  absolutely  forbidden. 

"  Every  individual  is  bou^d  to  denounce  to  the  com- 
mandant any  Syndic  guilty  of  the  offence  of  making  use 
of  any  seditious  expressions. 

"  Every  traveller,  found  without  a  passport,  is  imme- 
diately to  be  arrested,  and  carried  before  the  Syndic,  who 
is  to  examine  and  send  him  to  the  commandant. 

"  Every  traveller,  possessed  of  the  knowledge  of  an 
important  event,  is  first  to  give  notice  of  it  to  the  Syn- 
dic, who  is  to  take  a  note  of  it,  register  the  name  of  said 
traveller  and  afterwards,  a-icording  to  the  circumstances, 
permit  or  forbid  the  communication  of  the  event,  giving 
information  of  it  to  the  commandant. 

**  Syndics*  are  to  order  patrols  from  time  to  time. 

"  At  the  same  time,"  says  Monette  in  his  History  of 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  "  Baron  de  Carondelet  was 
laudably  exerting  himself  to  enlarge,  beautify  and  fortify 
the  city.  Early  in  May,  1794,  he  had  given  public 
notice  of  his  intention  to  open  a  canal  in  the  rear  of  the 
city,  for  the  double  purpose  of  draining  the  mai'shes  and 
ponds  i^  that  vicinity,  and  establisliing  a  navigable  com- 
munication with  the  sea.    This  canal,  comnaunicating 


m 


American  State  Pa|>era,  vol.  L,  p.  877. 


#, 


#- 


# 


.•!^, 


052 


THE  OARONDEIiET  OAIfAL. 


m 


with  the  Bayou  St.  John,  would  effectually  accomplish 
the  latter,  object,  to  the  great  commercial  advantages  of 
New  Orleans,  while  it  would  also  remove  one  great 
source  of  annoyance  and  disease  proceeding  from  the 
generation  of  innumerable  swarms  of  mosquitoes  and 
march  miasma  from  the  stagnant  pools. 

"To  accomplish  this  important  undertaking  for  the 
advantages  of  the  city,  he  proposed  to  accept  the  volun- 
tary contribution  of  such  slave  labor  as  the  plantei's  and 
others  in  the  vicinity  might  be  willing  to  give.  The 
mouth  of  June  had  been  announced  as  the  time  for 
beginning  the  work,  at  which  time  sixty  negro  slaves 
were  sent  by  the  patriotic  inhabitants,  and  the  canal 
was  commenced.  The  work  progressed  rapidly;  but 
the  depth  of  the  canal  was  only  six  feet.  The  convicts 
and  a  few  slaves  continued  to  labor  upon  the  work  during 
the  remainder  of  the  year,  until  the  canal  was  opened 
to  the  intersection'  of  the  Bayou  ^t.  John,  through 
which  a  navigable  route  lay  to  Lake  Pontchartrain. 
The  following  year,  the  plan  of  making  the  canal  navi- 
gable up  to  the  city  was  concurred  in,  and  the  Governor 
made  a  second  call  upon  the  patriotism  and  public  spirit 
of  the  people  for  additional  labor.  To  this  call  a  gene- 
rous response  was  ^ven,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
negroes  were  sent  to  expedite  the  work.  The  excava- 
tion was  now  made  to  the  width  of  fifteen  feet,  with  a 
depth  sufficient  to  admit  small  vessels  to  the  vicinity  of 
the  ramparts  on  the  rear  of  the  city.  In  November, 
the  Governor  made  one  more  call  for  aid  from  the 
%  j)lanters  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  city,  assuring  them 
that,  with  eight  da^s'  work  from  the  same  number  of 
hands,  he  would  be  able  to  render  the  canal  navigable 
for  small  vessels  up  to  the  '  basin,'  which  had  been  exca- 
vated near  the  ramparts  of  the  city.  The  labor  wa". 
cheerfully  contributed,  and  the  canal  was  in  successful 


!^. 


f^ 


Him 


r' 


■  j^ 


* 


¥ 


ENOOTTBAGEMBNIS  TO   EttlOBANTS. 


353 


navi- 
'-ernor 
spirit 
gene- 
fifty 
cava- 
ith  a 
ty  of 
mber, 
L  the 
them 
er  of 
able 
lexca- 
wafi 
3ssful 


operation  during  the  following  wintfir,  1796.  Early  in 
the  spring,  a  number  of  schooners  came  up  and  moored 
in  the  basin.  Thus,  in  the  autumn  of  1*795,  was  there  a 
navigable  canal  route  from  the  city,  by  way  of  the  Lakes, 
to  the  sea.  In  honor  of  the  projector  and  patron,  the 
Cabildo,  by  a  decree,  designated  it  as  'Canal  Caron- 
delet,'  a  name  which  it  retains  to  this  day."  It  will  be 
recollected  that  this  same  work  had  been  projected  and 
begun,  in  1727,  by  Governor  Perier,  but  soon  relin- 
quished. 

The  revolution  in  France  had  been  favorable  to  the 
increase  of  the  population  of  Louisiana,  which  had  been 
recruited  by  the  arrival  of  some  French  royalists,  who 
had  fled  from  the  anger  of  their  former  vassals.  Such 
emigrants  were  acceptable  to  the  crown  of  Spain,  and 
among  the  most  conspicuous  were  the  Marquis  de  Maison 
Kouge,  the  Baron  de  Bastrop,  and  Jacques  Ceran  de 
Laasus  de  St.  Vrain,  an  officer  of  the  late  royal  navy  of 
France,  who  had  emigrated  like  so  many  othera  of  the 
nobility.  They  proposed*  plans  for  the  removal  of  a 
number  o^  their  countrymen  to  Lor.'Biana  from  the  Uni- 
ted States,  where  they  had  sought  an  asylum.  Their 
propositions  were  accepted — ^twelve  square  leagues  were 
granted  to  Bastrop,  on  the  banks  of  the  Ouachita,  thirty 
thousand  superficial  acres  wq,:~-  appropriated  to  Maison 
Rouge's  establishment,  and  De  Lassus  de  St.  Vrain  ob- 
tained a  concession  of  ten  thousand  square  m'pm^^.  These 
grants  were  made  on  certain  conditions,  which  were 
never  complied  with,  and  a  full  title  never  vested  in  the 
grantees^who,  by  their  birth,  habits  and  tastes,  w6re 
not  qualified  to  carry  such  plans  into  execution  and  to 
become  pioneers  in  the  wilderness. 

"The  encouragement  thus  given  by  the  colonial  go- 

*  Martin's  History  of  Loniaianm  toL  ii,  p.  188. 

23 


^^ 


i-  -(h! 


r*j-''';ijjv, 


% 


m    # 


* 


854 


A  SLAVE  CONSPIRACY. 


vernment,"  s&jfs  Judge  Martin,  "was  not  confined  to  ,a 
grant  of  land.  It  covenanted  to  pay  two  kundred  dol- 
lars to  every  family,  composed  of  at  l^ast  two  lyhite 
persons,  fit  for  the  labors  of  agriculture,  or  the  mechani- 
cal arts  ifecessarv  in  a  settlement  of  the  kind,  such  as 
carpenters,  blacksmiths,  <fec.  Four  hundred  dollars  were 
allowed  to  families  having  four  laborers,  and  proportion- 
ately to  those  having  only  an  artisan  or  laborer.  They 
were  to  be  assisted  with  guides  and  provisions  from  New 
Madrid  to  the  Ouachita  district.  Their  baggage  and 
implements  of  agriculture  were  to  be  transported  from 
New  Madrid  at  the  King's  expense.  Each  family,  con- 
sisting  of  at  least  two  white  persons  fit  for  the  pursuits 
of  agriculture,  was  entitled  to  four  hundred  acres  of 
land,  with  a  proportionate  increase  to  more  numerous 
families.  Settlei-s  were  permitted  to  bring  European 
servants,  to  be  bound  to  them  for  six  or  more  yearsj  and 
who,  at  the  expiration  of  their  time  of  service,  were  to 
receive  grants  of  land  in  the  same  proportion." 

A  few  months  after,  th^  King  gave  his  approbation 
to  this  agreement  bet\,  3en  the  Spanish  authorities  and 
the  French  royalists  These  were  laudable  efforts  on 
the  part  of  the  Sp&\iish  government,  but  they  proved 
completely  abortive. 

Thus  was  that  government  pursuing,  with  all  the 
means  in  its  power,  the  wise  policy  of  increasing  the 
white  population,  when  the  colony  was  discovered  to  be 
threatened  with  a  very  serious  danger.  The  news  of 
the  success  of  the  St.  Domingo  revolution,  and  of  the 
rebellion  of  those  who  might  be  called  the  wlute  slaves 
of  France  against  their  masters,  had  not  been  without 
penetrating  into  the  very  cabins  of  the  blacks  of  Louisi- 
ana, who  thought  that  they  were  authorized  to  do  the 
same  thing  for  themselves ;  and,  accordingly,  a  compi- 
racy  was  formed  on  the  plantation  of  Julien  Poydias, 


** 


* 


■S 


t 


'■Af. 


A'  (fflfci^  'tM9PIRACir. 


855 


one  of  the  l^realtbie^  planters,  who  was  travelling  in  the 
United  Stia.te9.  The  estate  of  Poydraa  was  situated  in 
Pointe  Conpee,  an  isolated  parish,  distant  one  hundred 
and  fifty,  miles  from  New  Orleans,  and  where  the  num^ 
ber  of  the  negroes  was  considerable -^from  which  cir- 
cumstances they  had  derived  much  encouragement.  The 
conspiracy  had  extended  itself  throughout  the  whole 
parish,  and  the  15th  of  April  had  been  the  day  selected 
for  the  massacre.  All  the  whites  were  to  be  indiscrimi- 
nately butchered,  with  the  exception  of  the  adult 
females,  who  were  to  be  spared  to  gratify  the  lust  of  the 
conspirators.  A  disagreement  as  to  the  hour  at  which 
the  rising  should  take  place  gave  rise  to  a  quarrel  among 
the  leaders,  and  one  of  them,  through  his  wife,  sent 
information  to  the  commandant  of  the  parish  of  all  the 
details  of  the  plot.  The  ringleaders,  among  whom  were 
three  whites,  were  immediately  arrested  and  put  in 
prison.  The  blacks  rose  and  flew  to  the  rescue  of  their 
chiefe ;  a  conflict  ensued,  in  which  twenty-five  of  them 
were  killed.  The  trial  of  the  rebellious  slaves  was 
rapidly  got  through ;  twenty-three  were  hung  all  along 
the  banks  of  the  river  down  to  New  Orleans,  and  their 
coi-pses  remained  for  some  days  dangling  from  their 
gibbets,  as  a  warning  to  the  rest  of  their  population ; 
thirty-one  were  severely  flogged ;  and  the  three  whites, 
who  certainly  were  the  guiltiest,  and  who  ought  to  have 
been  punished  with  more  rigor  than  the  miserable  and 
ignorant  beings*  they  had  deluded,  Were  only  sentenced 
to  leave  the  colony.  This  event  produced  great  alarm 
among  the  inhabitants,  who  did  not  know  how  far  the 
ramifications  of  the  cons|)iracy  had  extended,  and  the 
apprehensions  continued  to  be  such,  that,  on  the  29th 
of  February;  of  the  following  year^  the  Oabildo  petitioned 

•  TU«  Intendant  R«ind<^n'i  defpateh  of  the  IBth  of  June,  179(^  ^ 


« 

kY 


P 


Mm 


iwl 


»*'t5"i.  ■■■'■«■■  W* 

,ilgt.-'j:*;;«B« 


8»S 


« 


856 


TBS  MABBID  TBIBATT;  09  Hit. 


.* 


4: 


,j9k^K 

mm 

K 

'^Hn^^l^^u 

P 

!  ^N^H^B^H^Mwi 

K^^ 

I  '^  HI^^^HHiH 

St^f 

i  Ml  I^BbI^^I^^HHPH 

^Rm 

If,  ;i  i^9B^^^^^^H^|fij9 

iwfcaF 

K 

IP 

^^j 

M  n  i^^^lPi 

1^ 

^B" 

m  jM.  oB^B^m 

m 

^^f,. 

w  rf^flgPfSBHJPffiHrTra 

^f 

fm 

fNHsttfl^^R' raf 

m 

U  if^BI 

^ 

fM^-' 

^a£' 

1'  ^|i 

i*^?- 

mBi:;''' 

a  |I|^|M9^^;|i 

'■  -''^^^'^^ 

rt^i'v 

^HH^uffiia^BlH  1^ 

iH^jd 

■■^ 

^1 

the  King)  to  obtain  from  him  that  th» 'importation  of 
Blavea  into  Louisiana  be  completely  prohibited,  and  in 
the  mean  time,  the  Baron,  in  complianee  with  their 
\7ish8s,  issued  a  provisional  prochimation  to  that  effect. 

Snch  was  the  state  of  affairs  in  Louisiana,  when  the 
negotiations  whicii  had  been  so  long  pending  between 
the  United  States  and  Spain  were  brought  to  a  dose, 
by  a  treaty  signed  at  Madrid,  on  the  20th  of  October, 
1Y95. 

The  principal  stipulations  of  the  treaty,  which  related 
to  Louisiana,  were,  says  Monette  in  his  History  of  the 
Valloy  of  the  Mississippi,  as  follows : 

"The  second  article  stipulates  that  the  future  boun- 
dary between  the  United  States  and  the  Floridos  shall 
be  the  thirty-first  parallel  of  north  latitude,  from  the 
Mississippi  eastward  to  the  Chattahoochy  River ;  thence 
along  a  line  running  due  east,  from  the  mouth  of  Flint 
River  to  the  head  of  St.  Mary's  River,  and  thence  down 
the  middle  of  that  river  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  that, 
within  six  months  after  the  ratification  of  the  treaty,  the 
troops  and  garrisons  of  each  power  shall  be  withdrawn 
to  its  own  side  of  this  boundary,  and  the  people  shall 
be  at  liberty  to  retire  with  all  their  effects,  if  they  de- 
sire so  to  do. 

"  The  third  article  stipulates  that  each  party,  respec- 
tively, shall  appoint  one  commissioner  and  one  surveyor, 
with  a  su'ablo  military  guard  of  equal  numbers,  well 
provided  with  instrumen  and  assistants,  who  shall  meet 
at  Natchez,  within  six  months  after  the  mutual  ratifica- 
tion of  the  treaty,  and  proceed  thence  to  9tm  and  mark 
the  said  Southern  boundary  of  the  United  States. 

"  The  fourth  article  stipulates  that  the  middle  of  the 
Mississippi  River  shall  be  the  Western  boundary  of  the 
United  States  from  its  source  to  the  intersection  of  the 
said  line  of  demarcation.    The  King  erf  Spain  also  stipu- 


# 


Stt. 


•■■^■l 


«  5 


Ttm  limniD  tbbatt  of  1795. 


86r 


lates  that  the  whole  width  of  said  river,  from  its  source 
to  the  sea,  shall  be  free  to  the'  people  of  the  United 
States. 

'*The  j^ifA  article  stipulates,  that  each  party  shall 
require  and  enforce  peace  and  neutrality  among  the 
Indian  tribes  inhabiting  their  respective  territories. 

*'The  King  of  Spain  stipulates  and  agrees  to  permit 
the  people  of  the  United  States,  for  the  term  of  thred; 
years,  to  use  the  port  of  New  Orleans  as  a  place  of  dcr 
posit  for  their  produce  and  merchandise,  aiid  to  export 
the  same  frea  from  all  duty  or  charge,  ex j|fat  a  reason- 
able consideration  to  be  paid  for  storagP  and  other 
incidental  expenses ;  that  the  term  of  three  years  may, 
by  subsequent  negotiation,  be  extended ;  or,  instead  of 
that  town,  some  other  point  in  the  island  of  New  Orleans 
shall  be  designated  as  a  place  of  deposit  for  the  American 
trade.  Other  commercial  advantage  were  likewise  held 
out  as  within  the  reach  of  negotiation.  The  treaty  was 
duly  ratified  by  the  Senate  in  March  following,  and  the 
Federal  Executive  proceeded  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  the  fulfilment  of  all  its  stipulations  on 
the  part  of  the  United  States." 

By  this  treaty  the  Southern  boundary  of  the  United 
States,  as  settled  by  their  treaty  of  peace  with  Great 
Britain,  was  recognised,  and  also  the  principle  so  tena- 
ciously advocated — that  free  ships  make  free  goods. 

"  But,"  continues  Monette, "  although  Spain  suspended 
her  restrictions  upon  the  river  trade  after  this  treaty  had 
been  ratified,  it  was  quite  apparent  that  the  King  neVer 
iatended  to  surrender  the  territory  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  north  of  latitude  31,  provided  any  contin 
genoy  should  enable  him  to  hold  possession.  He  had 
been  compelled,  by  the  pfessure  of  political  embarrass 
raent,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America,  to  yield  a  reluc- 
tant assent  to  the  treaty,  as  the  only  means  by  which  he 


mm 


f^f 


\^ 


»' 


958 


SPANISH  INTiaoUES  IN  TBSH  WEST. 


'# 


could  preserve  the  province  of  Louisiana  from  invasion, 
and  conciliate  the  hostile  feelings  of  the  Western  people 
of  the  United  States.  The  provincial  authorities  in 
Louisiana  seemed  to  view  the  late  treaty  on  the  part  of 
JSpain  as  a  mere  measure  of  policy  and  court  finesse,  to 
propitiate  the  neutrality  of  the  Federal  Government  and 
satisfy  the  American  people,  until  her  European  embar- 
rassments should  have  been  surmounted.  Spain,  incited 
by  France,  had  been  upon  the  verge  of  a  war  with  Great 
Britain ;  an^  already  the  British  authorities  in  Canada 
had  plannei^y|n.  invasion  of  Upper  Louisiana  by  way  of 
the  Lakes  ^pl  the  Illinois  River,  whenever  hostilities 
should  be  formally  proclaimed.  To  prevent  this  inva- 
sion was  one  object  to  be  gained  by  the  treaty  of  Madrid, 
which  would  put  the  neutral  territory  of  a  Mendly  power 
in  the  way  of  invasion." 

•  Whilst  the  negotiatioiis  had  been  carried  on  between 
Spain  and  the  United  States,  the  Baron  de  Carondelet 
had  not  been  inactive,  and  had  been  striving  to  secure 
success  to  his  favorite  plan  of  separating  the  West  from 
the  rest  of  the  Union.  His  chief  agent.  Power,  had  in- 
formed him  that  the  same  influential  individuals  in 
Kentucky,  who  had  been  in  secret  correspondence  with 
Governor  Miro,  such  as  Wilkinson,  Innis,  Murray, 
Nicholas,  &c.,  were  disposed  to  renew  their  former  rela- 
tions with  the  Spanish  Government,  and  that  some  of 
them  would  be  ready  to  meet  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio 
any  officer  of  rank  that  should  be  sent  to  them.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  communication,  Carondelet  chose  for 
this  delicate  mission  the  Governor  of  Natchez,  Gayoso 
de  Lemos,  who  proceeded  to  New  Madrid,  whence  he 
despatched  Power  to  make  the  preliminary  aiTangements 
for  the  interview  with  Sebastian,  Innis,  and  their  other 
associates.  Power  met  Sebastian  at  Red  Banks.  This 
indi  vidual  told  vhe  Spanish  emissaiy,  that  Innis  had  been 


.to 


c 

•^ 


%FOirtoft,  7HB  AOEmr  of  oabondelet. 


8 


# 


prevented  by  some  family  concerns  from  leaving  liome ; 
that,  as  the  courts  of  Kentucky  were  then  in  session,  the 
absence  of  Nicholas — a  lawyer  in  great  practice — ^would 
excite  suspicion,  and  that  Murray,^  having  lately  become 
an  habitual  drunkard,  was  unfit  for  any  kind  of  business 
and  could  not  be  trusted.  This  was  a  great  disappoint- 
ment for  Power ;  but  Sebastian  went  down  with  him  to 
meet  Gayoso,  who,  in  the  mean  time^  had  employed  the 
men  of  his  escort  in  erecting  a  small  stockbde  fort,  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  river,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the 
Ohio,  in  order  to  cause  it  to  be  believed  that  the  con- 
struction of  this  fortification  had  been  the  object  of  his 
journey.  Sebastian  declared  to  Gayoso  that  he  was  au- 
thorized to  treat  in  the  name  of  Innis  and  Nicholas,  but 
seems  to  have  said  nothing  about  Wilkinson.  Gayoso 
proposed  to  him  that  they  should  together  visit  the 
Baron  de  Carondelet ;  this  was  assented  to,  and  Power, 
Sebastian,  and  Gayoso  departed  for  New  Orleans,  where 
they  arrived  early  in  January,  1796,  and,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  spring,  Sebastian  and  Power  sailed  together 
for  Philadelphia,  no  doubt  on  a  mission  from  the  Spanish 
Governor. 

Power  soon  returned  to  Kentucky,  and  submitted  to 
those  whom  he  expected  to  seduce  the  following  docu- 
ment: 

"His  Excellency,  the  Baron  de  Carondelet,  &c.,  Com- 
mander-in-chief and  Governor  of  his  Catholic  Majesty's 
provinces  of  West  Florida  and  Louisiana,  having  com- 
munications of  importance,  embracing  the  interests  of 
said  provinces,  and  at  the  same  time  deeply  affecting 
those  of  Kentucky  and  of  the  Western  country  in  gen^eral, 
to  make  to  its  inhabitants,  through  the  medium  of  ti^ 
mfiuential  characters  in  this  country,  and  jud^pg  it,  in 


*  MartTii's  History,  vol  iL,  p.  12tf. 


W' 


-  '# 


^1 


n 


r,.tt£*^.^i^ 


^'^'^'■■"•-'■t^jiWiMi 


^0'B^ 


360 


OABONPXLEl'^S   PROPOSITIONS. 


ii  « 


>  ,0: 


t.-.v 


t\u  i)io8ent  uncertain  f^nd  critical  attitude  of  politics, 
highly  imprudent  and  dangerous  to  T.iy  them  on  paper, 
has  expressly  commissioned  and  autito:ii«d  me  to  submit 
the  following  proposals  to  the  consideration  of  Messrs. 
Sebastian,  Nicholas,  Innis  and  Murray,  and  also  of  such 
other  gentlemen  as  may  be  pointed  out  by  them,  and  to 
receive  from  them  their  sentiments  and  determination 
on  the  subject. 

"  1° — ^The  above  mentioned  gentlemen  are  to  exert  all 
their  influence  in  impressing  on  the  minds  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  Western  country,  a  conviction  of  the  necessity 
of  their  withdrawing  and  separating  themselves  from  the 
Federal  Union,  and  forming  an  independent  government 
wholly  unconnected  with  that  of  the  Atlantic  States. 
To  prepai'o  and  dispose  the  people  for  such  an  event,  it 
wi]l  be  necessary  that  tlie  most  popular  and  eloquent 
writers  in  this  State  should,  in  well-timed  publications, 
e'SyOiQj  iu  the  most  striking  point -of  view,  the  inconve- 
uipoc L's  and  disadvantages  that  a  longer  connection  with 
imd  dependence  on,  the  Atlantic  States,  must  inevitably 
dm\v  upon  them,  and  the  great  and  innumerable  diffi- 
culties in  which  they  wiU  probably  be  entangled,  if  they 
do  not  speedily  recede  from  the  Union ;  the  benefits  they 
will  certainly  reap  from  a  secession  ought  to  be  pointed 
out  in  the  most  forcible  and  powerful  maimer ;  and  the 
danger  of  permitting  the  federal  troops  to  take  possession 
of  the  posts  on  the  Mississippi,  and  thus  forming  a  cordon 
of  fortified  places  round  them,  must  be  particularly  exi^ 
patiated  upon.  In  consideration  of  gentlemen  devoting 
their  time  and  talents  to  this  object,  his  Excellency,  the 
Baron  de  Carondelet,  will  appropriate  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  t'  their  use,  whie^  shall  be 
paid  in  drafts  on  the  royal  treasury  at  New  Orleans^  or, 
if  more  convenient,  shall  be  conveyed  at  the  expense  of 
his  Catholic  Majesty  into  this  country,  and  held  at  their 


* 


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CAB0ia)£LET*6  PBOPOBITIONS. 


861 


disposal.  Moreover,  should  such  peiv  >ns  as  shall  be  in- 
Btramental  in  promoting  the  views  of  his  Catholic  Majesty 
hold  any  public  employment,  and  in  consequence  of 
taking  an  active  part  in  endeavoring  to  effect  a  secession 
shall  lose  their  employments,  a  compensation,  equal  at 
least  to  the  emoluments  of  their  respective  offices,  shall 
be  made  to  them  by  his  T  ' ' '  olic  Majesty,  let  their  efibrts 
be  crowned  with  sue  >r  terminate  in  disappoint 

ment 

"2" — ^Immediately  a  declaration  of  indepen' 

dence,  Fort  Massac  shan  oe  taken  possession  of  by  the 
troops  of  the  new  government,  which  shall  be  furnished 
by  his  Catholic  Majesty,  without  loss  of  time,  with  twenty 
field  pieces,  with  their  carriages  and  every  necessary 
appendage,  including  powder,  balls,  <fec.,  together  with 
a  number  of  small-anus  and  ammunition,  sufficient  to 
equip  the  troops  that  it  shall  be  necessary  to  raise.  The 
whole  to  be  transported  at  his  expense  to  the  already 
mentioned  Fort  Massac.  His  Catholic  Majesty  will  fur- 
ther supply  the  sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  for 
the  raising  and  maintaining  of  said  troops,  which  sum 
shall  also  be  conveyed  to,  and  delivered  at.  Fort  Massac. 

"  3" — ^The  northern  boundary  of  his  Catholic  Majesty's 
provinces  of  East  and  West  Morida  shall  be  designated 
by  a  line  commencing  on  the  Mississippi,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  Yazoo,  extending  due  east  to  the  river  Con- 
federation or  Tombigbee ;  provided,  however,  that  aD  his 
Catholic  Majesty's  forts,  posts  or  settlements  on  the  Con- 
federation or  Tombigbee,  are  included  on  the  south  of 
such  a  line;  but  should  aaj  oi  his  Majesty's  forts,  posts- 
or  settlements  fall  to  the  north  of  said  line,  then  the 
northern  boundary  of.  his  Majesty's  provinces  of  East 
and  West  Florida  shall  be  designated  by  a  line  bee- 
tling at  the  same  point  on  the  li£lssissippi,  and  drawn  in 
such  a  direction  as  to  meet  Jihe  river  Ccmfederation  ot 


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Tombigbee,  slz  miles  to  the  north  of  the  most  nMh^iii 
Spanish  fort,  post  or  setlJementbn  the  siaid  river.  All 
the  lands  to  the  north  of  that  line  shall  he  considered 
as  constituting  a  part  of  the  territory  of  the  hew  goverii- 
ment,  saving  that  small  tract  of  land  at  the  Ohick&aw 
Bluflfe,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  ceded  ^ 
his  Majesty  by  the  Chickasaw  nation  in  a  formal  treaty 
concluded  on  the  spot  in  the  year  1795,  between  his 
Excellency  Don  Manuel  Gayoso  de  Lemos,  Govemoi^  of 
Natchez,  and  AugHakabee,  and  some  other  Chickasaw 
chie& ;  which  tract  of  land  his  Majesty  reserves  for  him- 
self. The  eastern  boiindday  of  the  Moridas  shall  be 
hereafter  regulated. 

**4* — ^His  Catholic  Majesty  will,  in  case  the  Indian 
nations  south  of  the  Ohio  should  declare  war  Or  com- 
mence hostilities  against  the  new  government,  not  only 
join  and  assist  it  in  repelling  its  enemies,  but  also  if  said 
government  shall,  at  any  future  period,  deem  it  necessiary 
to  reduce  said  Indian  nations,  extend  its  dominion  over 
them,  and  compel  them  to  aubmit  themseiires  to  its  con- 
sibitution  and  laws,  his  Majesty  will  heartily  concur  and 
coSperate  with  the  new  Government  in  the  most  effectual 
manner'in  attaining  this  desirable  end. 

"  5"— -His  Catholic  Majesty  will  not,  either  directly  or 
indirectly,  interfere  in  the  framing  of  the  constitution  or 
laws  which  the  new  government  shaU  think  fit  to  adopt, 
nor  will  he,  at  any  time,  by  any  means  whatever,  at- 
tempt to  lessen  the  independence  of  the  said  government, 
or  endeavor  to  acquire  an  undue  influence  in  k,  but  will, 
iki  the  mianner  that  shaH  hereacfter  be  stiptdiated  by 
treaty,  defend  and  support  it  in  preservi^  i|g  indi^ 
pehdence. '/"''^  ■'■    '  '"        ■^''■' :'■"'■  \-'.  •■-■^■."  ■ 

"^o--4^e^ptic|din|  pitopp^  are  tfe  dtffeliiies  of  a 
provisi^  treaty,  wim  Bs  IxceHenc^ 


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m|ti;M:  thd  Wieetem  ciMuntry,  tlie  moment  tliey  sIiaU  be 
ma 9it9atio% to  treat  for  theiBs«l^  SJLonld ihej  iiot 
xii|^  enlarely  with  your  approbatio%aiid  should  you 
wj^  to  make  any  alteratbna  in,  or  additions,,  to  tiiem,! 
sb^ou  my  |?etttrn,  if  yon  think  proper  to  communicate 
ih.&B^  ,tp/  mfi^  lay  them  before  ,Ufl  Exce^ency,  whq :  is 
aipini^ted  with  a  sincere  and  fudent  desire  to  foat^v^^  this 
premising  and  rising  infant  country,  and  at  the  same 
tinip,  promote  and  fortify  the  interests  of  his  beneficent 
royal  master,  in  securing,  by  i^  generous  and  dMuterested 
cpn^uct,  the  gratitude  and  aiections  of  a  just,  set»BiU,e 
and  «n%htened, people. 

'^QPh«  important  and  unexpected  events  that  have 
ta^ken  place  in  Europe  since  the  ratification  of  thetreaty 
concluded  on  the  27th  of  October,  1796,  between  his 
Catholic  Majesty  and  the  United  States  of  America, 
having  convulsed  the  general  system  of  politics  m  that 
quarter  of  the  globe,  and,  wherever  its  influence  is  ex 
tended,  causing. a  coIUsion  of  interests  between  nations 
formerly  living  in  the  most  perfect  union  and  harmony, 
and  directing  the  political  views  of  some  states  towards 
objects  the  jmost  remote  from  their  former  poismts^  but 
none  ii^Dg  so  completely  unhinged  and  dii^ointed  as  t^e 
cabinet  of  8]pain,it.may  l^e  confidently  asserted^  without 
incmrring  the  reproacb  of  presumpHon,  that  his  Catholic 
Majesty  wiU  not  carry  Ihd  above  mmtfUmecL  #^a^  wie 
eao^yuMon ;  nevertheless,  the  thorough  knowledge  t  haye 
of  the  disposition  of  th^  Spanish  government  jus|^0i  me 
in>  sa^ng  that,  so  fax  from  its  being  his  Msjesty^  wifth  to 
exclode^  .^  inhabitant  of  this  Western  cqiai|ry  Ihon 
the  ^e  naf^^tion  of  the  Misi^t^i^  or  wi^^ld  i»fi& 
them  any  ^  the  benefits ;Sti|ii|iffced  fe  them,  hy  th« 
treM^#^ia  ppc^#e^'^  inte^^ 
l^^ii^H|t  h^  %ji^^  iet^ treirt ^^Sijt  1^^ 


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establishing  &m  of  their  oiimj  to^^gjrimt  thei%^^vileges 
Ifitt  mcnre  extensive,  give  't^em'  &  decided  pv^^erenee  (ovm 
the  Atlantic  States  in  his  commercial  conneotdons  with 
theTOy  ynd  jolaee  them  in  a  siHaMom,  mfim^el/y^m 
w/nta^^msy  m  every  j9amt  of'^view,  ^umihai^  m^^ 
1^  wmdd  find  thmMhes^  were  the  trecst/y  to  he  oa/gried 
intoffffect^  r 

To  back  these  tem|>ting  offers  and  to  smoothe  difiKenl^ 
ties,  money  had  been  sent  up  the  Mississippi  and  the  Ohio, 
and  Power,  who  had  several  interviews  with  Wilkinson, 

%.'  delivered  to  him  ten  thousand  dollars,  which-had  been 
carried  up,  concealed  in  barrels  of  sugar  and  bags  of 
coflfee.  Wilkinson  had  just  been  appointed  Major- 
general  of  the  United  States  in  the  place  of  Wayne, 
who  had  died  recently^  and  Power  was  directed  to  avail 
himsetf  of  his  intercourse  with  Wilkinson,  to  ascertain 
the  force,  discipline,  and  temper  of  the  army  under  that 
'  genei^  and  to  report  thereon  to  Garondelet.     The 

Spanish  Governor,  through  his  agent,  made  also  a  strong 
Appeal  to  Wilkinson's  ambition.    "  The  Western  people,'? 
said  he,  "are  dissatisfied  with  the  excise  on  whiskey ;* 
Spain  and  France  are  irritated  at  the  late  tareaty,  wWch 
has  bound  so        ely  together  the  United  States  and 
England;  the        ,f'm  devoted  to  their  talented  *  and 
*    ^^.briliiant  CO  iiimander;  it  requires  but  firmness  and  reso^ 
lution  on  7^our  part  to  render  the  Western  people  free 
and  bappy.    Can  a  man  of  your  superior  gwiius  prefer 
.     a  subordinate  tmd  contracted  position  as  the  commiNdder 
fd  the  small  and  insignificant  arany  of  the  Uni^d'^at^ 
t0  t^e  glory  of  bemg  the  founder  of  an  empirftr<-'the 

*       ]^^ator  of  so  many  miMGns  of  his  «owM;iyB»e|B^5^the 

./  I^^ashiiigton  of  the  We^  %    Is  not  tins  ^ncUd  a^^uwe^ 

m^it  to  |)e  ea«ly  aeeomplidied  liti^ve  you  n^^e^:^^^ 


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l^&mi^' ot  Jfmt  feUotf  ta^xemHy  and  ^^Tinoipfifiy  of  tlie 
K«trfcii6k|r.>!^lanteein?  Would  xkot  the  people,,  at  the 
s%£[te8t  mcKveineiit  on  your  part,  haU  yon  as  the  chief 
of ^lihe  iief#  iie|»ii1:dic  ?  W<»ild  not  ^our  fepntatioa  «loQe^ 
raise  yett  alor  anny  which  #ranoe  and  Spain  woi^d  enalble 
ybtt  to  pay  ?  '  'Bie  eyes  of  the  world  aye  fixed  upon^  you ; 
be  bold  and  prompt ;  do  not  hesitate  to  grasp  th»golden.'< 
oppoHnnity  of  acquiring  wealth,  honors,  and  immortal 
£»iAe;  But  should  Spain  be  forced  to  execute  the  treaty 
of  4td5,  ibd  Surrender  all  the  posts  claimed  by  tlm^ 
United  States,  then  the  bright  vicdon  of  mdependence' 
for  the  Wester:^  people.;  and  of  the  most  exalted  positaon 
and  ^perishable  renown  for  yourself  must  for  ever 
vanish."  w 

Bert  all  these  allurements  fiuled  to  produce  their  exf 
pected  effects.    Time,  Washington's  administration,  and 
a  concourse  of  fkvorable  c^umstances,  had  consoHdated 
the^Union ;  and  Wilkinson  and  his  associates,  whateyer 
nd^have  been  their  secret  »pii»tions,  were  too  «aga^ 
ciilHpyt  to  see  what  almost  insuperable  obstacles  existed^ 
beKiJIIen  the  conception  and  enlBcution  of  suchdangie]t>^9 
schemes.    Therefore,  on  his  return  to  Nfjw  OrlMiiis, 
Power  made  to  his  Spanish  ^nployer  an  im&yoi^tili^ 
report  on  what  he  had  observed.    He  reniarked,  Itt  the' 
words  used  by  Judge  Martin  in  his  History  of  Loi^siaiia, 
that  whatever  might  have  been,  at  toy  previous  tiate, 
the  disposition  of  the  people  of  K^tiscky,  they  .wei^ 
now  perfeot^j  satis^ed  with  the  Oeneral  (3toivem^il^0mk 
that  thiSir  leadii^  men,  with  a  £9w  excepUona,^^miM%ted 
an  ut^  MTflanon  to  the  hi|za^      ei^«iiip(nt%^|fte»M^ 
f0r6#i»i^t4ir«^e^)ieaiany  40  i^ 
lim^  ^^^ilisii^^  by  the  late  treaty,  the  pi^biu^Ml 

ol^fe<»t^^|li|i^^tl^ 

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peace  wrth  France,  and,  on  the  Yth  of  Ofetobw^  1^9i8, 
had  declared  war  against  Great  Britain,  men^iolng  as 
one  of  her  grievances,  the  latie  treaty  wM6hi  that  |ji»#er 
had  made  with  the  United  States,  and  which  wasa^dipM 
to  be  a  great  infringement  on  me  rights  of  the^%anish 
Crown.  The  attention  of  the  Governor  of  LomnlHit  was 
called  to  the  gathering  of  a  considerable  nnmber  of 
troops  on  the  southern  fi'ontier  of  Canada-^whidi  ^^- 
cnmstance  had  given  riae  to  the  report  that  an  invaiiidn 
of  Louisiana  was  contemplated.  The  Minister  of  the 
Catholic  King  near  the  United  States  conimttoicated  to 
the  President  his  fears  on  the  subject,  and  requested  that 
,,  in  conformity  with  the  late  treaty  and  the  law  of  nations, 
"flie  United  States,  as  neutrals,  should  take  tlie  necesSRry 
measures  to  oppose  effectually  the  intended  violation  of 
their  territory. 

The  Baron  had  determined  not^to  deliver  up  to  the 
United  States  the  posts  ceded  by  the  treaty  of  ltt5, 
^untU  the  failure  of  his  last  attempt  to  detach  the  W^^n 
country'froni  the  Union  should  be  fully  ascertainwBftl^ 
in  case  of  success,  of  course  the  treaty  would  hav<pii|n 
annulled  by  the  disiniption  of  the  American  confeieiracy. 
Therefore,  when  the  Spanish  authorities  heard  of  the 
approach  of  Andrew  Ellicott,  who  had  been  appointed, 
under  the  treaty,  commissioner  for  the  United' States, 
they  had  recourse  to  every  artifice  to  postpone  the  exe- 
cution of  its  stipulations.  Ellicott  arrived  at  Nbtchez 
6n  the  24th  of  February,  1797,  and  proposed  to  Gayoao, 
who  was  the  othpr  commissioner  on  the  part  of  Spidri, 
that  tiey  should  proceed  imjnediatfely  to  thei  dlschatge 
of  their  respective  duties.  But  Gayoso  replied  l^fft  the 
f<M  Was  not  ready  to  be  sturendeW;  that?  ceirti'l^ 
Ihmnarieff  ©^d^  bj  aettW  at  Hew  Meant  jdii^^j^ 
the  American  comndssioner  re^^d  to  go ;  thai#e'  st^- 
latiop  of  the^  treii^  were  noti^^ 


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OATOSO  A10>  SLUOOTT. 


867 


that  doabtB  hiKl  risen  in  tbe  Baron  de  Carondolet's  mind 
iw  tp  tbeii:  int^retation ;  ibat  it  waJ9  qnestionable 
whether  all  the  forts  fuid  edifices  were  to  be  delivered 
up  in  their  integrity  .to  the  Uniied  States,  or  raze^  and 
abandoned,  in  ^o^fomiity  with  formal  treaties  which 
Spaiii  had  made  with  the  OMckasaws,  who  had  ceded  to 
her  the  lands  at  the  Chickasaw  BlUffir,  Walnnt  l£i]ls, 
and  Tombigbee,  on  certain  conditions  that  would  be  vio- 
late if  the  treaty  of  1796  were  interpreted  in  the 
manner  favored  by  the  American  government ;  and  that 
the  ultimate  orders  of  his  Oathq^  Mf^esty,,;  or^  of  his 
minister'  plenipotentiary  near  the  United  States,  Should 
be  waited  for  in  a  matter  of  so  m^ich  importance.  Kot 
satisfied  with  putting  forth  these  pretexts  for  proci;asti* 
nation,  Qayoso  proceeded  to  str<)ngthen  the  fortifications  « 
at  Natchez,  "Walnut  HUIb,  and  ^he-  other  posts  above, 
under  the  apparent  apprehension  of  Indian  hostilities 
and  of  an  invasion  from  Canada;  and  the  meeting  of 
the  commissioners  for  establishing  the  line  of  dema^ca*.  ^ 
tion,  as  provided  for  by  the  treaty,  was  indefinitely  post^ 
poned.  It  ^.as  alleged  that,*  as  the  tir^ty  of  1196  ^ 
f  contained  no  guaranty  of  property  to  those  who  desired 
to  retire  beyond  the  American  juri8dictioi%dt  would  be 
necessary  to  settle  that  point  by  a  npw  treaty^:  At 
another  time  it  was  seriously  urged,  that  a-  scrt^^^ous 
observance  of  the  treaty  of  Madrid  could  not  be  de- 
manded, because  the  United  States  had  |iot  acted  in 
good  &itjt  towards  Spain  in  conceding  .to*^reat  Bntaiw, 
by  the  treaty  of  London,  November  l^i^t&iilhe  fiw 
navigation  of  the  Mssissippi^  altho^gli  this  c^cespdon 
had  beenmade  nearly  a  year|MrevioiiSi  These  objections 
wef^^prt  presented  m  a  body,  but  weVe  sprung  up  one 
i^ffcfp  tia^  ottov  and  wdeiitly  to  |«a|n  tnftei   ^Che  cdi^e 


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^pnrsaed  iby  tbe  Spanish  authoiiiies  gare  rise  to  an  excit 
ed  €diTeii^Q4^oe  between  tken^  and  the  AmenoaQ  oS- 
cers  y  and  tbe  people  of  tbe  district,  wbo,  being  of  Ai^glo^ 
Baxoin  descent,  and  emigrants  from  the  United  States, 
had  all  their  sympathies  enlisted  in  favor  of  th^  conn- 
trpnen,  became  lugbly  incensed.  On  their  showing 
Botiie  signs  of  resistance,  two  of  them  were  arrested  on 
the  9th  of  Jane,  179 1)  and  confined  within  the  Spanish 
fort.'  As  this  evinced  on  the  part  of  Gayoso  a  determi- 
nation to  enforce  vigorously  the  authority  of  Spain,  in  a 
cotmtiy  which  he  ou^t  already  to  have  abaKd(med,  the 
people  flew  to  amui  and  drove  the  Governor  to  seek  an 
asylum  in  the  fort.  Public  meetings  were  )ield,  violent 
spee^ches  delivered^  extreme'  measures  contemplated,  and 
lieutenant  Pope,  who  commanded  the  military  escort  of 
the  commissioner,  Andrew  Ellicott,  declared  that  he 
would  for  the  future  r^pd  hy  force  cmy  attempt  mad$  to 
iffiprmn  those  who  dUi^f^  the  prMege  of  citizens  of  the 
Vmted  Btatea.  Mealao  noUfled  the  people  of  hie  intent 
IwMW,  <md  aasuri^  them  of  hie  protection  alwt  evpport 
(^gainet  (my  avhi^wry  miUtary  force  which  migU  h 
hrov^ghtto  operate  a^aiiietilmfii  or  in  arvyway  ta  vi^rmge 
their  rights  m  American  citkene.  *  : 

"  At  this  tim^,"  says  Monette,;who  relates  these  events 
with  great  accuracy,  and  Tfhose  narration  lean  done 
better  than  partly  to  borrow,  ."  it  was  supposed  that 
Gaiyoso  might  order  rmforcemente  from  other  po0<0  on 
tbe  ri^^  to  aid^in«;mai4taming  his  authority.  lieutenant 
^llope  had  res(dved  to  per^t  no  such  reinforcement^  and 
c^lBd  ^n  the  people  to  sustain  )^m  in  .repcpng  m 
attempt  to  r^nforc^J^e  ^^tfiison  in  Fort  Panmu^. 

"X^  tbe  l^v^  «fo«^  Goyer»(Mr  Gayoso  ksi^  his 
]^ijl?0fhma^%i  t^e   people  to  a  >^mi^  /^d 

peacea)^  submission  to  the  authority  of;  his  C^^ig^c 
Majy^mitil^  dignities  between  i^e  two  ^[overn- 


*'      . 


Ife- 


,#      *P'f»5» 


t^, 


#     # 


:u-'-:Jf: 


*•< 


:  .%i^^^ 


»-t<.if;'^».'^*L-1|,»» 


"EXanXIBEXT  IS  TOB  NATCHEZ  DisTRicnr. 


869 


meAtft  conlcT  be  properljr  ar^a^ged.  At  the  same  time, 
ke  pi'iji^iiiised  the  utmost  lenity^  ^d  $.  p^rdbn  to  all  who 
ropfaited  of  tibeir  mi8de<^  and,  as  an  evidence  of  r^- 
pehtitnce,  abdtjioBed  tjfyai  all  a^  calculated  to  distiirb 
the  public  peace. 

"The  people;  already  highly  irrita^d  by  delays  ana 
disappointed  hopes^took  gi^eat  excefptious  to  the  word 
^repentance,' as  highly  offensive -to  free  citizens  of  the^ 
United  States.  Things  no^  assumed  a  serious  aspect, 
and  the  opposition  to  SjMinish  authority  had  taken  a 
regular  form  of  rebeDion.  A  number  of  respectable 
militiaKK>mpanie8  were  organized,  and  ready  to .  take  iiie 
field  ttt  the  first  notice,  and  open  hotf^ilitiea  deemed  inevi- 
table. Both  parties  were  in  a  continual'  sta^  of  pre^ 
paration  to  repel  forcfe  by  fo^ce.,  C^ayoso  mfliile  great 
efforts  to  reinforee  his  garrison,  but  withoni  success,  while 
the  ttolitia  were  drilling  throughd^t  the  settlements. 
Confined  to  thiB  walls  of  his  So^'tm^  land  too  weaiik  for 
offensive  operations,  he  interceded  with  the  American^ 
comiinisBioner  to  use  his  influence  in  calming  tli^  ppptilar ! 
exdttoient.  But  Colouel  'licott  felt  lit&e  sympathy^ 
for  th^  unpleasant  position  wUch  he  had  brought  upon 

himself.  ^    *  -* 

^^la  the  meantime  a  public  meeting  had  been 
annpunced  td  be  hel^  at  Benjamin  Bealk's,  oh,the  Kash- 
villn  toady  d^ht  mil^  from  Natchez.  This  nieeting  wa$ . 
assembled  on  ihe>  20th  of  June,  and  tras  atten^d  by 
many  <^  the  iliihabiti^tB.  I^e  subjeot  Of  the  ixffiting 
diffictil^eil':  was  ^scussed,  and  the  m<ei^ing  dispensed 
aftea*>ii^{)TOn1% 
ing  of  iev^n  p^^nifee**  iae^       xepreaenai  the  peojde  ^ 

^^B!^^  Ibrce  of^ikirun^  ti^  <»iBnlr7i»ce  of - 

fiMd'i^iip#'^bli^^^ 

■.^'  •       •     '  ''■"» 


•* 


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.."# 


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1^ 


ItBZ  OOMMtrTEE  OF  PUBLXO  BAFETT. 


J/' 


'■(■•-. 


# 


# 


'*  Up  to  tliis  time^  tlie  Spanish  commaadant,  fit  well 
as  the  American,  kept  an  active  patrol  continually  on 
duty;  and  daring  the  greater  portion  of  the  time  since 
the  inonth  of  May,  a  heavy  piebe  of  ordnance  in  the 
Spanish  fort  had  been  brought  to  bear  Upon  the  Ameri- 
can commissioner^^  tent,  which  was  in  fbll  view. 

*'0n  the  18th  of  June,  while  all  was  excitement  and 
apprehension,  the  Governor,  confined  within  the  narrow 
limits  of  the  fort,  desired  an  interview  with  the  Ameri- 
can Commissioner  at  ^e  house  of  Captain  Minor.  To 
meet  this  appointment,  Gayoso,  in  great  trepidation, 
having  left  the  fort  by  a  circuitous  route,  made  his 
way  through  thiclfets  and  cane  brakes  to  the  rear  or 
north  side  of  Minor's  plantation,  and  thence  through  a 
com  field  to  the  back  of  the  house,  and  entered  the 
parlor  undiscovered.  Such  were  the  visible  marks  of 
anxiety  in  his  person,  that  Colonef  Ellicott  says  his  feel- 
ings ^ver  were  more  excited  than  when  he  beheld  the 

*  Governor.  The  humiliating  state  to  which  he  was 
reduced  1>y  a  people  whose  affections  he  had  courted, 

•  and  whose  gratitude  he  expected,  had  made  a  strong 
and  visible  impression  upon  his  mind  and  countenance. 
His  having  been  educated  with  high  ideas  of  command 
and  prerogative  served  only  to  render  his  present  situa- 
tion more  poignant  and  distressing. 

"  The  Committee  of  Public  Safety,  agreeably  to  their 
instructions,  presented  themselves  before  ChEiyoso  in 
their  official  capacity,  for  his  recognition  and  approba- 
tion. He  did  |iot  hesitate  to  recognize  thepi  as  repre- 
sentatives of  the  people,  and  che^ri^ly  acceded  to  their 
demand,  that  none  of  ihe  people  ishonld  be  injured  or 
prosecuted/for  the  p?u?t  they  !^  tkken  in  the  late  mov^ 
ments  againlt  the  Bp^nii^h  authority ;  alib^^^t  they 
shoid^  b^  exempt  frond  serving  in  the  ^pimish  naflitia; 
unless  in  caseof  rio1»  or  l^dlm  hostMtiei. "  %d  prc| 


i 


'# 


M' 


» 


« 


i 


9 


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# 


c^eo^ag*  of  the  public  meeting,  the  reobgnitioii  of  the 
Oonliiiittee  by  the  (Governor,  and  his  acqnieecenoe  in 
their  demandli,  had  al!  tended  greatly  to  quiet  public 
apprehensions  aud  to  allay  the  popular  excitement. 

**Yet  there  irere  persons  in  the  Committee  who<ie' 
fidelity  to  the  United  States  was  suspected  by  Colonel 
Ellicott ;  and  one  of  them  was  particularly  objectionable 
to  him  and  Tiieutenant  Pope.  In  order  to  insure  har- 
mony, he  prevailed  upon  the  Governor  to  dissolve  the 
Committee,  and  to  authorize  the'  election  of  another,  by 
prddamation— which  should  be  permanent.  A  new 
Conlniittee,  consisting  of  nine  members,  was  accordingly 
elected  about  the  first  of  July,  "permanent  in  its  cha- 
racter,'' and  created  by  virtue  of  the  Spamsh  authority. 
The  organization  of  this  Committeevwas  highly  gm^ying 
to  Colonel  Ellicott,  who  declared  that  thda  Committee 
woe  the  finishing  stroke  to  the  Spq/nish  (mffu)rity  ani 
jurisdiction^  And  so  it  was ;  the  concessions  made  by 
Gayoso  were  ratified  by  Carondelet,  and  a  sort  of  truce, 
ensued  between  the  two  adverse  parties. 

Leaving,  for  the  present,  matters  as  they  stand  under 
this  compromise,  I  shall  proceed  to  notice  som<)  facts 
which  had  occurred  in  the  meanwhile,  and  #]^h  are  to 
be  briefly  c^onicled.  % 

It  appears  by  a  despatch  of  the  Intendant  Bendon, 
dated  on  the  28th  of  April,  .1795,  that  the  expenses  of 
the  province  had  amounted  in  1794  to  $864,1^6,,  aii^d 
that  the  custom-house  revenue  had  not  given  more  than 
$$7,5(^..  ( 

On  the  15th  of  June,  he  describes*  the  sad  condition 

man  jMffa  4po(l«r*f6e  d«  ^tas  ^sesH^ett  y  id>i4rM  p«to  <lNaeV*^E>iM^U(:  Lof  r^* 


% 


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t 


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i 


.    .  4- 


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ntTEKDAirr  bendoh^**  dbspatoh. 


to  wliioh  tlie  colony  had  been  redaeed  by  the  want  of 
capital,  by  the  duaHtera  prodnoed.by  conflagratiQuand 
the  repeated  occnrrence  at  harricanes,  by  the  exhanstioD 
of  the  royal  treasury  in  Louisiana,  drained  by  the  inces- 
sant demands  of  funds  which  the  Spanish  authorities 
had  to  meet  in  order  to  counteract  the  schemes  ci  the 
'        insatiable  ambitiou  of  their  enemies  to  possess  themselves 
of  the  territories  of  Spain,  with  a  view  of  opening  to 
themselves  a  passage  to  the  Mexican  provinces ;  by  the 
.      fortifications  which  they  had  been  obliged  to  erect,  in- 
crease, or  strengthen  throughout  the  colony  to  repel  such 
designs;;  by  the  creation  of  a  small  fleet  of  galleys  which 
#  protected  the  navigation  of  the  river ;  by  the  immense 

disbursements  to  which  they  were  subjected  by  the 
avidity  of  their  Indian  allies,  and  other  innumerable  and 
extraordinary  contingencies  which  daily  occurred,  which 
had  reduced  them  to  the  most  deplorable  indigence, 
<^    deprived  them  of  the  meana  of  attending  to  numerous 
/objects  urgently  requiring  their  immediate  consideration, 
<tand  prevented    them  from  maintaining,    in  all  their 
%       integrity,  the  authority  of  the  Oovemment  and  the  honor 
^,     ')f  the  arms  of  the  King.    "  All  that  remains  for  me  to 
'^        do,^  said  hC) ''  is  to  repeat  my  most  earnest  entreaties 
that  the  necessary  funds  be  sent  to  me  as  promptly  as 
possible.'/ 

On,  tbB  30th  of  November,  he  informed  his  Govern- 
ment thaib  a  French  privateer,  called  "La  Parisienne," 
with  six  guns  and  a  crew  of  forty-five  men,  commanded 

dif«r«iitfp  BiMtfeM  7  fortifioMioiiM  qu«  h»  rido  foraovo  Aiia«at«r  w  opoaidoa  i 

#au*  dMignib^  ntti  MOtiiean  d«  gilenw  que  d«fiend«  Is  nar«gs«ioa  d«l  Biivim- 
meiuoi  dlapendios  qne  m  hao«a  eb  Im  (rlbni  ladiu  naestras  aliadaa,  y  oini 

noi MdiMid»^4&#M  dtpl*h^  iBdig«s^.fi6»  <iiUwsot:3n».ik4o.flMl9 |9m 
at^dderjl  tiai^y  ton  «fg4nti«imM  oBJeCo^  y  inft6t«B«r^^ign»  ^  hoit^r^^^^^  Ib 
•n^lrfiff^  ^t|^ta«rtt^ 7  di^  iM^Mnw  dM  R«y.    Bbh»  »•  4|tiMa4nMi^ 

rtite^ i  y.%  tub mMiftoMW  rn«go%  i te  do  qnt  m «k^a  f|Mw|i^^  1# 
9uyor  ImTedad  Im  fondot  neoesuioa^  ^o. '  "^ 


'^w* 


» 


■m 


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^ 


■# 


TAKcro  or  na  balizb  bt 


-  .If 

TtCE 


mxNou. 


87$ 


by  Cuptain  Alezaader  Bolohos^  had  taken  posMMion  of 
the  poet  of  tho  BiliM,  at  the  north  of  the  MMsAippif 
on  th#  ISth  of  October  preceding.  This  French  oocn- 
pied  that  post  until  the  2l8t,  when,  on  hearhig  of  the 
abroach  of  Spanish  forces  troik  New  Orleans,  they 
retired  after  having  destroyed  everything  they  conld. 
The  ^noh  vessel  had  presented  herself  under  the> 
Spanish  ilflg,  and  the  chief  pilot,  named  Jnan  Ronqnillo, 
with  sixteen  men  out  of  the  twenty  who  were  i^Ationed 
at  the  Balise,  having  gone  out  to  meet  her,  were  made 
prisoners,  and  twenty  of  the  French,  well  armed,  availed 
themselves  of  the  Spanish  boat  t6  go  ashore,  and  easily 
overpowered  the  four  men  who  had  remained  to  guard 
the  post. 

In  the  same  despatch,  Bendon  said  that  the  cultivation 
of  tobacco  had  been  abandoned  in  all  the  districts  of  the 
province  with  the  exception  of  Natchitoches,  ever  since' 
his  Majesty  had  reduced  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  thou- 
sand pounds  the  quantity  which  he  would  buy  annually. 

In  another  communication  of  the  80th  of  January, 
179Q,  he  stated  the  revenue  of  the  custom-house  in.  1795 
to  have  been  $1j. 4,932 — ^a  little  more  than  double  of 
what  it  had  been  the  year  previous — ^which  is,  no  doubt,^ 
to  be  attributed  to  the  removal  of  the  apprehensions  of 
a  revolution  and  the  cessation  of  the  state  of  uncertainty 
existing  in  1790  and  1794> 

In  April,  1796,  Bon  Francisco  Bendon  departed  from 
New  Orieans  for  the  province  of  Zacatecas,  of  which  he 
had  been  appointed  Intendant,  and  his  successor  in  Ix>ui- 
sianik  was  Don  Jnan  Ventura  Morales,  who,  on  the  17th 
of  jyiy  of  the  same  year,  informed  h\k  ^6v:er^metit  of 
some  chaiigee  which  had  been  elS^cted  in  the  coinptrolr 
ler^s  d^^lMCFtineiit  (oontadiiria},  andby  ivWch,  on  ibhe 

tano  Gayaiii^  iW  gmdeoti  of  the  Ck^ta^r  l>on  ilste- 


m 


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> 


mPROVEMENlS  IN  NEW  ORLEANS, 


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■i 


van  Gayarr6,  who  had  come  with  UUoa  m  1766,  liad 
taken  Arroyo^s  place,  and  Don  Manuel  Hoa  had  smc- 
ceeded  Gayarre.  For  these  changes  he  begged  the 
royal  approbation. 

Until  the  year  1796,  the  city  of  New  Orleans  had 
never  been  lighted  at  night  except  by  the  moon,  and 
had  been  guarded  by  occasional  patrols  only,  when  cii'- 
cumstances  required  it.  But,  on  the  SOth  of  March  of 
that  year,  the  Baron  wrote  to  his  government  that, 
considering  the  frequent  and  almost  inevitable  robberies 
which  were  perpetrated  in  a  city  of  six  thousand  souls, 
by  a  multitude  of  vagabonds  of  every  nation,  he  had,  as 
proposed  before,  imposed  a  tax  of  nine  reales  a  year  on 
every  chimney,  to  provide  for  the  expenses  of  the  police ; 
that  he  had  formed  a  body  of  thirteen  serenos,*  or 
watchmen,  and  established  eighty  lamps;  that  the  keep- 
ing up  of  these  thirteen  watchmen  and  eighty  lamps 
would  cost  $3,898  annually;  and  that  to  meet  these 
expenses,  he  had  to  call  for  a  proportionate  contribution, 
?whichL  he  had  apportioned  among  all  the  inhabitants,  of 
Kew  Orleans.  To  make  this  tax  lighter,  he  proposed 
that  eighteen  hundred  feet  in  depth  of  that  part  of  the 
commons  fronting  the  rear  of  the  city  and  nearest  to  the 
fortifications,  which  were  unproductive  of  any  revenue 
to  said  city,  because  they  were  inundated  six  months  in 
the  year,  be  divided  into  lots  of  sixty  feet  front  by  one 
hundred  and  fifty  in  depth,  and  conceded  to  such  of  the 
inhabitants  as  should  offer  to  cultivate  them  into  gar- 
dens, on  condition  of  their  paying  annually  a  certain 
sum  to  defray  the  expense  of  lighting  up  the  streets — 
which  sum  would  be  so  much  to  be  deducted  from  what 
the  city  had  now  to  pay. 


*  A  Beren<rt«  ar  night  watch,  so  called  from  hia  announcing  in  a  Io|id  voice 
from  time  to  time  the  atate  of  the  weather,  and  from  hia  {nqneuAf  <^ing  ottt: 
'SefOMi^'*  fliir  wMther, 


■'^ 


4 


^i 


9 


m- 


t' 


los,*  or 


F^T  JOTEAWaSCB  OF 


FETEB. 


M5 


Tt^e&vwere  de<aded  improvementiB  calculated  to  melio- 
rate ihe  oonditioii  of  New  Orleans,  which,  unfortunately, 
Wa9  visited,  it  is  said  for  the  first  time,  with  the  yellow 
fever  in  the  JdU  of  the  year  1796.  That  autumn  proved, 
besides,  very  sickly  in  every  other  way. 

The  Intendant  Ventura  Morales,  in  a  despatch  of  the 
Slst  of  October,  speaks  of  it  in  the  following  terms: 
**  An  epidemic  which  broke  out  in  the  latter  part  of 
Ai^gnst,  and  which  is  prevalent  to  this  day,  has  terrified 
and  still  keeps  in  a  state  of  consternation  the  whole 
population  of  this  town.  Some  of  the  medical  fEtculty 
call  it  a  malignant  fever;  some  say  that  it  is  the  disease 
so  well  known  in  America  under  the  name  of  'black 
vomit,'  and,  finally,  others  affirm  that  it  is  the  yellow 
fever  which  proved  so  fatal  in  Philadelphia,  in  the. au- 
tumn of  1794.  Although  the  number  of  deaths  has  not 
been  excessive,  considering  that,  according  to  the  p^ish 
registry,  it  has  not  yet  reached  two  hundred  among  the 
whites  since  the  breaking  out  of  the  epidemic,  and  con- 
sidering that  many  died  from  other  diseases,  still  it  must 
be  admitted  that  the  loss  of  lives  is  very  great,  because, 
although  those  who  died  out  of  the  precincts  of  the  town, 
and  the  protestants  who  perished  (and  they  were  nume- 
rous), have  not  been  registered,  nevertheless  the  number 
of  deaths  exceeds,  by  two  thirds,  those  which  occurred 
in  the  same  lapse  of  time,  in  ordinary  years. 

"A  peculiarity  to  be  remarked  in  the  disease  is,  that 
it  attacks  foreigners  in  preference  to  the  natives,  and 
what  is  singular,  it  seems  to  select  the  Flemish,  the  Eng- 
lish, i^id  the  Americans,  who  rarely  recover,  and  who 
generally  die  the  second  or  third  day  after  the  inv^ion 
of  the  disease.  Such  is  not  the  case  with  the  Spaniards 
and  the  colored  people,  with  whom  the  recipe  of  p^^ 
iflasderall  has  produced  marvellous  effects.'^ 

As  to  the  fwlutaiy  condition  of  the  morals  ^md  religion 


% 


# 


i 


'«il^ 


> 


i*# 


# 


376 


Bli'HO^'  PENALVERT's  ©ESPATCm- 


%■■ 


of  the  iahabitaLts  Bishop  F^h^h&tt  h$,^^  md^tem  d^ 
spatch  of  the  ist  of  November,  1^95 : 

"Since  my  arrival  in  this*  town,  on  the  17:tliN9f  WjTf 
rhave  been  studying  with  the  keenest  atfemtiijto  the 
character  of  its  iihabitantsy  in  order  to  regnlate  xo^ 
ecclesiastical  government  in  accordance  with  the  mfor- 
mation  which  I  may  obtain  on  this  importarit  subject. 

"On  the  2d  of  Aupist,  I  began  the  dischaa^  of  my 
I)astoral  functions.  I  took  possession  withbut  imy  diffi- 
culty of  all  the  buildings  appertaining  to  the  church, 
and  ejcamined  all  the  books,  accounts,  and  other  matters 
thereto  relating.  But  as  to  re-establishing  the  purity  of 
religion,  and  reforming  the  manners  of  the  people,  which 
are  the  chief  objects  El  Tridentino*  has  in  view,  I  have 
encountered  many  obstacles. 

"  The  inhabitants  do  not  listen  to,  or  if  they  do,  they 
disregard,  all  exhortations  to  maintain  in  its  orthodoxy 
the  Ca,tholic  faith,  and  to  preserve  the  innocence  of  life. 
But,  without  ceasing  to  pray  the  Slather  of  all  mercies 
to  send  his  light  into  the  darkne^  which  surrounds  these 
people,  I  am  putting  into  operation  human  means  to 
remedy  these  evils,  and  I  wiU  submit  to  your  Eiceflency 
those  which  I  deem  conducive  to  the  interests  of  religion 
and  of  the  state.  ;\ 

"Because  his  Majesty  tolerates  here  the  Protectants, 
for  sound  reasons  of  state,  the  bad  Christians^  who  a^e  hi 
large  numbers  in  this  colony,  thih^  that  they  are  aiithor- 
ized  to  live  without  any  religion  at  all.  Many  adults  die 
without  having  received  the  sacrament  of  communion. 
Out  of  the  eleven  thousand  souls  composing  thi^  Jiarish, 
hardly  thrfee  to  four  hundred  com|>ly  with  "the  ^i?^tJipt 
of  partaking  at  least  ohee  a  year  of  the  LoM's  sii|)pei\ 
Of  the  regiment  of  Louisiana^  there  ai*e  n^  above  thii?ty, 

*  T^M  Bidiop  tliadM  to  Ilia  disoiplinaiiy  rales  estabU^^d  hjMaXkxtlu&ot 


•*. 


% 


\ 


m^ 


in^^ading  offieeislilidEHildi^>  it'ho^'li^Te  du^  this 

s«iered  daty  &>c  ^e  lost  ihteie  yei^.  ]^^  saore  th^ 
about  liiQfQiirtli  imirt  of  the  poi^ukktioa  <^  the  %>wii 
ever  i^t;t|»idsn]M8^  and  on  Snndap  otflyj  afid  on  tiloee, 
grseM?  holidays-  i^eh  reqiure  ^it  imperioiisly.  T&  do  s<^ 
on  thft  other  holydays  they  eoncadlsr  as  a  snp^noi^  act 
of  devotion  to  whioh  they  are  not  bound.  Most  of  tlie 
married  and  nnmanied  men  live  in  a  state  of  coi^n- 
bini^e,  and  tiheFe  are  fathers  who  prooareoowtezans  for 
the  nse  of  their  sons,  whom  they  thus  intentionally  pre-' 
ventsfrom  get^ng  lawM  wives.^  The  marriage  ic<»i^act 
is  one  whioh,  from  a  nrnversil  custom,  admitting  onjyof ft 
a  few  aceid^ital  exceptions,  is  never  entered  into  among 
the  slaves.  Fasting  on  Fridays,  in  Lent,  and  dnrmg  t^i^ 
li(M  y  temporas^  is  a  thing  unknown ;  and  there  are  other 
mal-pcactioes^  which  deftote  the  little  of  religion  esEisting 
here  among  the  inhabitants,  and  which  demonstrate  thai%^ 
thei'e  remains  in  their  bosoms  but  a  8%ht  spark  of  t^Bv 
faith  instilled  into  them  at  the  baptismal  font* 

'* I  presume  that  a  large  porti(«i  of  these  people  are- 
vassals  of  the  king,  because^  they  live  on  his  domain^,  w^. 
accept  his  favors.  But  I  must  speak  the  truths  1M&\ 
Majesty  possesses  their  bodies  and  not  their  scn^.  Be^' 
bellion  is  in  their  hearts,  !md  their  mmds  are  iuitimed 
with  the  maxims  of  democracy;  and  had  1^^  sotr  ^00 
their  chief  so  active  imd  energelie  a  man  as  the  presentr 
governor;  there  would  long  since  have  been  an  «nrpiife0t9af 
of  the  pent-up  volcano ;  and  should  another  less  sagatnouS' 
chiefs  ever  &>rget  the  feimenldng  elements  whicb  ari^^ait 
work  v&^if^  ground^  thi»^caB:  beno  ddnbl  but  ^¥tt  tberf 
would  b^an  explosion.  '      ■  ^  ' ."^^"r 

if^l^hm  honaes  are  :I^U'  of  books  writifeen  agaiofirt  rei^ 
gioitae^^itb^  state;    T^tey^ar^  llemijlibe^  t^re^ 


# 


'% 


* 


% 


V    % 


m 


■\ 


878 


BISHOP  PBNALVEBT^S  DE8l>AT0B. 


witk  impunity,  and,  at  the  dinner'  table,  th«y  make  use 
of  tbe  most  shameful,  lascivious,  and  s^ibrilegiotis  sdiigs. 

fHiis  melancholy  sketch  of  the  religtoilB  and  itko^nil 
customs  and  condition  of  the  flock  which  has  &Ueki  to 
my  lot^  will  make  yott  understand  the  cause  of  whatever 
act  of  scandal  may  suddenly  break  out,  whi(^  hOMrever 
I  shall  strive  to  prevent ;  and  the  better  so  to  do,  I  have 
used  and  am  stUl  using  some  means^  which  I  intend  as 
remedies,  and  which  I  am  going  to  communicate  to  your 
Excellency. 

"The  Spanish  school,  which  has  been  established  here 
at  the.  expense  of  the  crown,  is  kept  as  it  ought  to  be ; 
but  as  there  are  others  Which  are  French,  and  of  which 
one  alone  is  opened  by  authority  and  with  the  regular 
license,  and  as  I  was  ignorant  of  the  faith  professed  by 
the  teachers  and  of  their  morality,  I  have  prescribed  for 
them  such  regulations  as  are  in  conformity  with  the  pro- 
visions of  our  legislation. 

"Excellent  results  are  obtained  from  the  Convent  of 
the  Ursulines,  in  which  a  good  many  girls  are  educated ; 
but  their  inclinations  are  so  decidedly  French,  that  they 
have  even  refused  to  admit  among  them  Spanish  women 
who  wished  to  become  Nuns,  so  long  as  these  applicants 
should  remain  ignorant  of  the  French  idiom,  and  they 
have  shed  many  tears  on  account  of  their  being  obliged 
to  read  in  Spanish  books  their  spiritual  exercises,  and  to 
^,  comply  Irith  the  other  duties  of  their  community  in  the 
manner  prescribed  to  them. 

;*'This  is  the  nursery  of  those  future  matrons  who  will 
ixic^eate  on  their  children  the  principles  which  they  here 
imbibe.  The  education  which  they  receive  in  ^us  insti- 
tution is  the  cause  of  their  being  less  vicious  tljim  the 
other  sex.  A6  to  what  the  boys  are  taught  in  :the,^a^h 
school,  it  is  soon  forgotten.  Should  iieir  edueati^u  be 
continued  in  a^Mlege,  they  would  be  confirmed  in  their 


'7^ 


B' 


*• 


# 


k 


»r 


:*-  t 


's  ' 


aXKS84L  YIOTOB  CQLI.OT. 


a7$ 


jel%ioiief  prmciplWj  in  the  goo4  habits  given  to  theio, 
an4  In  their  loyalty  as  faithiRil  yaeaals  to  the  crown. 
Bat!  they  leave  the  school  when  stiU  very  yoon^JiiPd 
retii^e  to  the  houses  of  their  parents  mostly  situated  in 
the  country,  where  they  hear  neither  the*  name  o£  God 
nor  of  ^King,  but  daily  witness  the  corrupt  morals  of  th«tir . 
parents." 

'iThe  Bishop  goes  on  enumerating  the  means  and  expe* 
dients  through  which  he  hopes  to  remedy  all  the  evils 
which  he  thus  energetically  describes.  So  much  for  the 
representation  made  of  Louisiana  by  the  Bishop  Don 
Luis  de  Penalvert  y  Cardenas,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
1796..    .,c  ..    .,. 

There  is  another  delineation  of  Louisiana  fi'om  the  penv 
of  the  French  general  Victor  Collot,  who  visited  that 
province  in  1796,  and  who  gives  a  most  minute  descrip* 
tion  of.its  militaiy  resources  and  of  its  fortifications  j^,. 
the  time.  The  character  of  the  work  which  he  published 
may  be  said  to  be  almost  entirely  strategic.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  this  superior  officer  had  received  from  his 
government  a  mission  which  he  had  fully  the  ability  to 
execute.  He  points  out  the  two  rivers  of  the  Arkansas 
and  of  the  Grands  Osages  as  being  the  keys  of  Mexico ; 
"for,"  says  he,  "although  these  two  rivers  are  separated 
from^jeach  other  at  their  mouths  by  a  distance  of  more , 
than  six  hundred  mUes ;  although  the  first  empties  itself 
into  the  Mississippi,  and  the  second  into  the  Missourii^ 
yet,  as  the  river  des  Grands  Osages  runs  south-eastf  and 
the  riv^r  of  the  Arkansas  north-east,  they  come  so  near 
one  another  at  their  sources,  that  they  are  separated 
onlybyik  narrow  valley,  at  the  extremity  of  which  is 
Santav|?6. 

^'^oip  the,  point  where  ceases  the  navigation  of  f he 
river  of  the  Arkansas  to  Simta  F6,  there  a^e  sixty  miles, 
asi^t^ll^  the  p<Mi^^^^  llie  ji^^i&i  (^  the 


.*, 


# 


880 


THE  mmr  obusans  fobiskioaxiokb^ 


riv^6r  4e8  Grands  Osages,  tliere  ai»  ^»m  one  kjon^Ni^ 
and  fifteen  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles. 

"JPIjkjis,  supposing  two  bodies  of  tioopsy^oiie  <^  wjidh 
wonid  mtister  in  the  State  of  Indiana,  at  th^  month  o| 
the  river  of  the  Illinois,  and  opposite  that  of  the  llbsoiin, 
and  the  other  in  the  State  of  Tenne^e,  at  ih^  '^  Eeores 
k  Margot,"  a  little  above  the  river  of  the  Arkansas^  the 
first  ascending  the  Missouri  and  the  river  of  the  Grands 
Odages,  the  second  that  of  the  Arkansas,  they  might  both 
arrive  within  an  interval  of  Very  few  days,  at  the  same 
given  point  (Santa  F6),  as  they  would  have  about  the 
same  facilities  of  navigation  and  the  same  distance  to  run 
over.  The  difficulties  to  be  overcome  by  the  column  on 
the  right,  in  ascending  the  Missouri  for  ninety  miles,  and 
in  moving  on  land  sixty  miles  more  than  the  column  on 
,  the  left,  would  be  more  than  compensated  by  the  facility 
Vj^hich  it  would  find  in  going  up  thejriver  of  the  Grands 
Osages,  which  is  much  less  rapid  than  that  of  the  Arkan- 
sas; and,  considering  that  from  the  head  of  these  two 
rivers,  the  ground,  from  its  nature,  presents  •neither 
mountains  nqr  rivers  which  might  be  serious  obstacles, 
one  may  easily  appreciate  how  important  it  is  for  Spain 
that  these  two  passages  be  closed." 

General  OoUot  also  gives  a  description  of  the  fortiftca- 
,tions  of  New  Orleans.  "  At  the  superior  extremity,  of 
the  city,  when  facing  the  river,"  said  he,  "  k  a  drainiiijg 
canal  which  runs  from  the  Mississippi  in  the  direction 
of  Lake  I*onteharti'ain.  Its  width  is  twenty^four  feet  by 
eight  in  depth.*  This  canal,  by  ihe  means  of  a  sluice, 
supplies  wiii  water  the  ditches  of  the  city. 

"Its  defensive  works  consist  in  five  small  forts  abd  a 
great  battery,  which  are  distributed  in  the  foHowmg 
iiaikner:... :  ./ t,  ;.  .x 

*  1!^>««ii^[al||jt>roir:  tli«r«  nfirw  WM  took  »  OMdiilkimf  mtri^  IS 


i'A^'' 


i    •* 


^. 


m 


# 


and  a 
iawing 


*^un  iKe  side  wVcli  fi^^onts  the  rirer)  and  at  both  ex- 
treimties,  are  wo  forte  #hioh  commaofl  the  road  imd  the 
riyer^  Their  shape  is  that  of  a  regular  pentagon,  with  a 
parapet  eighteen  feet  iMch^  coated  with  bmek,  with  a 
ditch  and  covered  Way.  In  each  of  these  forts  ore  bar- 
racks for  the  accommodiotion  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  and  a  powder  magazine.  Their  artillery  is  copx^ 
posed  of  a  dozen  twelve  and  eighteen-ponnders. 

**  between  these  two  forts,  and  in  front  of  the  prinoi* 
pal  'street  of  the  city,  is  a  great  battery,  commanding 
the  river  with  its  gnus,  and  crossing  its  fires  with  the  tw<^ 
forts.  i 

"The  first  of  these  forts — ^that  ij3,  that  on  the  right, 
which  is  most  considerable — ^is  called  St.  Charles,  the 
other  St.  Louis. 

"  In  the  rear,  and  to  cover  the  city  en  the  land  side, 
are  three  other  forts.  'Diey  are  less  considerable  than 
the  two  first.  There  is  one  at  each  of  the  two  salient 
angles  of  the  long  square  forming  the  city,  and  a  third 
between  the  t\^o,  a  little  beyond  the  line,  so  as  tp  form 
an  obtuse  angle.*  These  three  forts  hav@^  no  covered 
way  and  are  not  revetted,^  but  are  merely  strengthened 
with  friezes  and  palisades.  They  are  armed  with  ei^ht 
guns  and  have  accommodations  for  one  hundred  men. 
The  one  on  the  right  is  called  Mbrt  Biirgunihf^  that  dn 
the  left  St  Ferdina/ndy  and  that  of  1^6  midcQe  .0 
Jos^Ti.  * 

"tli^  five  forts  and  the  battery  cross  thejtr  fee  v^r^ 
one  another,  and  are  connected  by  a  ditch  of  forty  ^i 
in  width  by  seven  in  depth. ,  With  the  earth  tak^  out 
of  the  ditch,  there  has  been  forued  on  the  inside  4  p^ 
rapet  tliree  feet  high,  on  which  have  been-placed,  closely 
8errie<l,^  line  of  twelte  fwt  mckets*    P^ 


#' 


W-- 


*  Un  angle  oVm. 


m 


-#., 


\* 


%     ■.-  :'^ 


m 


li  :,-^ 


# 


si 


THE  «»#  dKLmWS  fOWtttCAttOWB. 


80  as  to  render  the  slope  exceedingly  easy  and  accwfefflble 
Thtee  ffeet  water  are  always  kept  up  in  tlie  moHtl,  even 
during  the  driest  season  of  the  year,  by  meaini  of  d^^shes 
comtiiunicating  with  the  draining  cantd. 

^  It  cannot  be  denied  that  these  miniature  forts  ire 
well  kept  and  trimmed  up.  But,  particnlarly  on  ad- 
count  of  their  ridiculous  distribution,  and  also  on  account 
of  their  want  of  capaciousness,  they  look  more  like  play- 
things intended  for  babies  than  military  defences.  For 
there  is  not  one  which  cannot  be  stormed,  and  which 
five  hundred  determined  men  would  not  carry  sword  in 
hand.  Once  master  of  one  of  the  principal  forts,  either 
St.  Louis  or  St.  Charles,  the  enemy  would  have  no  need 
of  minding  the  others,  because,  by  bringing  the  guns  to 
bear  upon  the  city,  it  would  \>&  forced  to  capitulate  im- 
mediately, or  be  burnt  up  in  less  than  an  hour,  and 
have  its  inhabitants  destroyed,  as  none  of  the  forts  can 
admit  of  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  We 
believe  that  M.  de  Carondelet,  wTben  he  adopted  this 
bad  sys^m  of  defence,  thought  more  qf  securing  the 
obedience  of  the  subjects  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  than 
of  providing  a  defence  against  the  attack  of  a  foreign 
enemy,  and,  in  this  point  of  view,  he  may  be  said  to 
have  completely  succeeded.'' 

General  Gollot  describes  also  the  fort  at  the  Plaque- 
piineTum;  he  says  that  it  is  provided  with  twenty 
pieces  of  artillery  of  various  calibre,  and  that  it  can  ac- 
(kmmodate  <3ire^  hundred  naen.  |^ 

He  fiirther  gives  the  following  descriplaori^  of  the 
lahabitants  of  the  Illinois  District:  " On  th^  American 
i^i^e,  there  are  still  to  be  found  some  Frenchnien,  to  wit: 
it  Kitekaskias,  at  Eocl-'s  Prairie  (prairie  duroi^er),  at 
Piorias  on  Ked  River,  at  Dbg's  pi^airie  (praiii^  du  6hiei|), 
Tiear  Wisconsin,  at  Chicago  on  liSkd  MMgi?s^ss^^ 
the  Post  of  Ymcennes  oU  the  Wabash.  ^ 


^- 


ii 


*■ 


;:»■ 


tm^^ 


THE  ncmsrtsm^  or  tbs  tuisoib  district.    888 

H;Mo9t>  <)f  tli6i9e  p^ple  are  a  compoancl:  of  traders.  > 
.adtenturers^  wood  mnners,  rowiers  and  wiiiTiore — 
igooranty  raperstitions  and  obstinate — ^wliom  no  fotigties, 
no  privations,  no  dangers  can  stop  in  their  enterprises, 
irhioli  they  always  carry  through.  Of  the  qualities 
which  distinguish  the.  French,  they  hwe  retained  no- 
thing except  courage. 

*^  When  at  home,  and  in  the  privacies  of  their  ordi- 
nary life,  their  character  is  very  much  like  that  of  the 
Aborigines,  with  whom  they  live.  They  are  therefore 
indolent,  lazy  and  addicted  to  drunkenness,  cultivating  the 
earfch  but  little  or  not  at  all ;  the  Frenc*h  which  they  speak 
has  become  so  corrupt,  that  it  has  degenerated  into  a 
sort  of  jargon,  and  they  have  even  forgotten  the  regular 
division  of  the  months,  and  of  time  it  elf,  according  to 
the  calculations  of  civilization.  K  you  ask  them  whep 
a  particular  i)\ont  happened,  they  will  aipwer,  that  it 
was  when  the  waters  were  high,  when  the  strawberries 
were  ripe,  or  in  the  com  and  potato  season.  Shoidd  it 
be  sug^ted  to  them  to  chango  anything  for  the  better, 
even  in  matters  which  are  acknowledged  by 'them  as 
being  defective,  or  should  any  improvement  be  recom- 
mended to  them  m  agriculture,  or  in  some  of  the 
branches  of  commerce,  their  only  answer  is:  H  i6  the 
cmUm  ;  aoU  was  with  our  faihera.  Ig^  at^mg  wi^  it 
— -^w?,  of  cowrsey  wiU  my  children.  They  love  France  and 
apeak  of  it  with  pride." 

Ge^al  Collot,  on  his  way  to  N^ew  Orleans  from  the 
upper  feuntry,  had  stopped  to  visit  Etienne  Bor6  at  his 
sugar  ^^antation,  six  mile&  above  New  Orleans,  whece  h^ 
was  arreiitiid  by  4f  der  of  ^e  Baron  de  Carondelet,  who 
hud  sent  npl%;  dragoons  by  land  and  an  armed  boat 
by  the  river^  /pbe  General  was  put  in  the  boat,  and 
f 9k%4<^i^  to  He^  Or&ans,  wherfe^  he^as  inipriiioQed 
.n  fWt  1%  Obartes;  on  ihe  next  iii^'he  wiis  called 


# 


* 


■'SB- 


h 


oiktBBMt  ooci.oT*»  Awmn, 


4 


^  vptm^iffiheQrovemorf  who  |>ro|)OMd  to  Mm  a  heme  in 
town,  #ych  he  might  ooonpy  on  parole,  And  with'  a 
Spaolkh  ■oldier  at  his  door.  The  General,  having 
accepted  the  proposition,  left  the  fort  for  hb  new  lodg- 
inga  in  the  Govemor^s  carriage,  which  had  been  politely 
tendered  to  him.  On  the  let  of  November,  the  Oeneral, 
£rom  whom  some  of  his  maps,  drawings  and  writings 
liad  been  token  away,  was  conveyed  on  board  of  one  of 
the  King's  galleys,  and,  being  accompanied  by  a  captain 
of  the  regiment  of  Louisiana,  who  was  not  to  lose  sight 
of  his  person,  was  transported  to  the  Balize,  wl^ere  he 
was  deposited  in  the  house  of  the  chief  pilot,  Jnan  Ron- 
quillo,  '' situated,''  says  he,  ^4n  the  midst  of  a  vast 
swamp,  and  from  which  there  was  no  issuing  except  in 
»  boat."  He  remained  at  this  dismal  spot,  until  the 
3^d  of  December,  when  he  embarked  on  board  of  the 
brig  Iphigema  for  Philadelphia.  It  is  evident  from  the 
General's  own  relation  of  his  visit  to  New  Orleans  that 
he  was  not  permitted  to  examine' the  fortifications  of 
that  place,  and  that  he  must  have  described  them  from 
hearsay. 

;  ^e  Baron  de  Carondelet  wrote  to  citizen  Adet,  who 
was  the  representative  of  the  French  republic  near  the 
gbVernment  of  the  United  States,  in  v->rder  to  justify  the 
coufs0  which  he  had  pursued  towards  General  Oollot 
His  reasons  were  :* 

l^-^The  silence  of  the  minister,  who  had  neglected  to 
notify  him,  the  Governor,  of  Ihe  approach ,  of  the 
Gen^alj  ^ 


No  h»lbi«ndo  t«nido  ppr  flo&TeoiejDte  eite  6obem«dor  qai?  el  g«n«iM,l  a*  ]i^ 
ItepbUkii  fhwilM*  J6i^4)  Tia»r  CMlol  qui*  w  intarodi^o  «&«■«*  profiiiel^  potiA 

mortdofcM  Idi^iM  M^  defS^sftde  la  d«da4^tomi^  el^Artido 

dm  4ftt^rlfr  i\  p|vw>Ml«  la  Bi^K**,*  •  «9«rav  o«Mio&  puini  <(iabaMi»Io  pwi  fliial- 


m- 


«• 


iht7     ■  ^  "^  ewitemeut  which  iL  preimTrf 

<M  «.d  it  i.  saidttit  thr^lT  «^  no  P«™  to  con. 
haviiitf  him  ari^d  »ni  !  "nondy  thought  <rf 

II..*!.  ■  "™  ■"«««<»  <M>a  transported  to  "BiviML   hL, 

atoUy  connections,  and  the  beneflTKd  uSfJ^ 
ferrod  on  his  country  bv  the  Jnf,^.^  *r^  **"' 
hraiinh..f  :_j- *  '   ^      *  introduction  of  a  new 


f 


^,  ^'t  , 


25 


1 

-ipjl 

i^H 

i 

^^ 

J 

juJi  il 

- 

'"ral 

« 

i  1 

^,- 

-  mm  i 

%»' 

ill 

•«•■•■ 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

<IATOfiO*8  ADMIinBTBATXOV 


1797  to  1799, 


OASAOALVO'S  adminxstrahov. 


1799  to  1801. 


il:       '•> 


4- 


Br^oadieii-Gbnebal  Gatoso  de  Lbmob  had  been  in- 
stalled into  office  on  the  Ist  of  August,  1797,  but  it  wa» 
only  in  the  month  of  January,  1798,  that,  in  confonnity 
to  established  usage,  he  published-  his  Bando  de  Buen 
Gobiemo— a  sort  of  charter,  or  programme,  making 
known  the  principles  and  regulations  on  which  the 
Governor  thought .  that  a  good  government  ought  to  be 
established,  and  by  which  he  was  to  be  guided  in  his 
fbture  administration.  It  contained  nothing  worthy  of 
any  special  notice. 

Shortly  alter,  he  addressed  to  the  Commandants  at 
the  different  posts  throughout  the  colony  the  following 
set  of  instructions,  in  relation  to  grants  of  lands : 

ii  1« — Commandants  are  forbidden*  to  grant  laud  to  a 
new  settler,  coming  fix>m  another  spot  where  he  has  al- 
ready obtained  a  grant.  Such  a  one  must  either  Imy 
land,  or  obtain  a  grant  from  the  governor  Mnae^. 

«  3»— If  n  settler  be  a  foreigner,  unmarried,  and  with- 
out ^iji^ir  A^ves,  mon^y,  cr  other,  property^  no  jB^^ioit  ij 


»: 


u,« 


X: 


I'liB^itory  of  LiAiattnl,  Tot  &,  pi  188. 


#' 


% 


4 


m 


mho  niAdti  to  him, nntU  he  thaU  have  remeiiied  foar 
yeam  in  the  poit^  demeamng  himeelf  well  in  eome  honest 
aud  uefol  ocoitpAtion. 

-  ^  8*^»Meohiiiio8  are  to  be  protected,  bat  no  land  is  to 
)()•  granted  to  ^m,  until  they  shall  have  acquired  some 
pAi|Mrty,  and  a  residence  of  three  years,  in  the  exercise 
of  tl0|ir  trade. 

**  4*-— No  grant  of  land  is  to  be  made  to  any  unmarried 
emigrant,  who  has  nMther  trade  nor  property,  until  after 
a  rendenee  of  four  years,  during  which  time  he  must 
have  been  employed  in  the  eulture  of  the  ground. 
•'  M  5* — ,3Qt  if,  after  a  residence  of  two  years,  such  a  per- 
son should  marry  the  daughter  of  an  honest  farmer,  with 
his  consent,  and  be  by  him  recommended,  a  grant  of  land 
may  be  mede  to  him. 

•  *^  (^* — ^Liberty  of  conscience  is  not  to  be  extended  be^ 
yond  the  first  generation ;  the  children  of  the  emigrant 
mu^  become  Catholics;  and  emigrants,  not  agreeing  to 
thy,  must  not  be;  admitted,  but  expelled,  even  when  they 
briiiig  property  with  them.  This  is  to  be  explained  to 
settlers  who  do  not  profess  the  Catholic  faith. 

">  7°-^In  Upper  Louisiuna,  no  settler  is  to  be  admitted, 
who  is  not  a  faxmet  or  a  mechanic^ 

*'  8'-~-It  is  expressly  recommended  to  Commandants,  to  j 
wateli  that  no  preacher  of  any  religion  but  the  Ca^oUc 
committto  the  province. 

"  9*r^-^  every  married  emigrant  of  the  above  descrip- 
tion two  hundr^  arpens  miay  be  granted,  with  the  iiddi- 
tion  of  J^y  for  c^e^  child  he  brings. 

'*  lOVrK  he  W$%B  negroes,  twenty  additioi|»l  aliens 
are  to^^  gphiib^^im  lEpr  each:  but,  mja^<i9i9&^ia^ 
i]lore  t|M»n  ei^Hl  hui^red  arpe&s  to  b^  grktit^  to  an 


t<^a 


i#|f  jetlMr  ^^ 


im 


i^A 

-!™^^ 


•:#• 


m 


GAYOSO  S  BANDO  DB  SUm  GQBIERNO. 


oath  of  allegiance  is  to  be  administered:  to  him*  If  he 
has  a  wife,  proof  is  to  be  demanded  of  their  i^arria^e  \ 
and,  if  they  bring  any  property,  they  are  to  be  require^ 
to  declare  what  part  belongs  to  either  of. them;  and 
they  are  to  be  informed  that  the  discovery  of  any  wiiftil 
falsehood  in  this  declaration  will  produce  the  foifeitijre 
of  the  land  granted  them,  and  of  the  improvements 
made  thereon. 

"  13° — ^Without  proof  of  a  lawful  marriage,  or  of  the 
absolute  ownership  of  negroes,  no  grant  is  to  ])e  taade 
for  any  wife,  or  negro. 

"  14° — ^The  grant  is  to  be  forfeited,  if  a  settlement  be 
not  made  within  the  year,  or  one  tenth  part  of  the  land 
put  in  cultivation  within  two.  ^ 

"  15° — ^M)  grantee  is  to  be  allowed  to  sell  his  lan<j, 
until  he  has  produced  three  crops  on  a  texAla.  paft  of  it* 
but,  in  case  of  death,  it  may  pass  to  an  heir  ic  the  pro- 
vince, but  not  to  one  without,  unless  he  come  and  settle 
on  it. 

"  16°— If  the  grantee  owes  debts  in  the  province,  the 
proceeds  of  the  first  four  crops  are  to  be  applied  to  their 
discharge,  in  prefere^e  to  that  of  debts  due  abixjad. 
If,  before  the  third  crop  be  made,  it  becomes  necessary* 
to  evict  the  grantee,  on  account  of  his  bad  conduct,  the 
land  shall  be  given  to  the  young  man  and  young  womaJi, 
residing  within  one  mile  of  it,  whose  good  conduct  may 
show  them  to  be  the  best  deserving  of  it ;  and  the 
decision  is  to  be  made  by  an  assembly  of  notable 
planters,  presided  over  by  the  Commandant. 

"17" — ^Emigrants  are  to  settle  contiguous  to  <>ki  esta- 
blishments, without  leaving  any  vacant  lands  between— 
in  order  that  the  people  may  more  easily  protect  eaolt 
other,  in  case  of  any  invasion  by  the  Indians,  and  th^ 
th^  aditimisiration  of  justxc^)  and  li  eomf^lance 
police  regidations,  may  be  £Adiitate4"    v 


m.:- 


'm 


¥ 


■%- 


^r 


In  thie  beginning  of  this  ye«t,^lt98i  Ne^^^#  was 

flaited  iy  thfi^e  illustriotis  strangers,  the  Dpkmxxi  Or^ 
leiiiiSj  wi^  his  two  brothers,  the,  Dake  of  Mon.tpensier. 
and  the  fCbystt  -  of  Beaujolais,  who  'wei«  striking  exam^ 
pies  of  thoSI  remarkable  vicissitudes  of  fortune  with 
vthyoh  the  lif^als  of  histoiy  are  so  replete.  The  royal 
fo^ives  wholiad  thus  come  to  claim  the  hospitality  of 
the  humble  town  which,  under  the  patronage  of  theiir 
atioestorS)  had  been  founded  in  the  wilderness,  on  the 
distant  bank  of  the  Mssissippi,  were  the  descendants  of 
the  celebrated  regent,  Duke  of  Orleans^  and,  througlfc 
hitti,  of  Louis  XIIL,  king  of  France.  They  were  of  a 
race  which,-  without  interruption,  had  given  monarchsto 
that  kingdom  for  centuries ;  and  if  there  ever  was  a  house 
that  dould  boast  of  pretensions  to  durability,  it  was 
theirs,  so  profoundly  and  ineradicably  laid  had  seemed  to 
be  its  foundations  in  the  very  depths,  not  only  of  the  broad 
Idngdom  of  France,  but  also  of  the  whole  continent  of 
Europe.  There  was  a  day,  however,  when  "the  rain 
descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and 
beat  upon  that  house,  and  it  fell,  and  great  was  the  Ml 
of  it  I"  Men,  who  had  suddenly*  been  precipitated  so 
low  from  the  heights  of  a  prosperity  which  seemed  des- 
tined to  be  the  everlasting  and  lawful  possession  of  their 
family  by  the  prescriptive  right  derived  from  so  many 
centuries,  were  certainly  fit  objects  of  sympathy  in  their 
*  misfortune,  und  they  met  with  a  generous  and  warm- 
hearted reception,  both  from  the  Spanish  authorities  and 
from  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana.  Costly  entertain- 
ments were  given  to  tliem,  and  they  spent  several  weeks 
in  New  Orleans  and  its  neighborhood.  They  appealed 
to  take  mudi  interest  in^  the  destinies  of  a  colony  which 
was^tlie  creation  of  France,  an^  they  exapiined  minutely 
the  snga^  |dantatiQ»n  which . hadbeea. lately  established 
by  Etienne  Bot^  laei]:;  the  ^1^4    'When  a  *^  mousque- 


*^M, 


# 


^Sr  ■ 


m 


mfB 


a^o 


DUKE  dl*' OBLlBAira  ANB  Hj^   ifiBOtHSBS. 


tiftire,"  or  guardsman  in  tbe  houseliold  troojw  of  Lotus 
XV.,  arid  watching  orer  tlie  safety  of  the  m^ieity  df ' 
France;  little  did  he  dream  that  the  day  woi^d  come 
when  three  princes  of  the  blood  would  be  his  gu^ts  in 
the  wilderness  of  America  I  What  stran]^  #veiDl|»  will 
not  time  bring  on,  and  how  shifting  are^^e  scenes  in 
which  it  delights!  The  Count  of  Beaujolais  and  the 
Duke  of  Montpensier  soon  slept  in  the  tombj  but  the 
other  fugitive  exile — ^the  Duke  of  Orleans — ^whose'father's 
head  had  fallen  on  the  scaffold,  ascended  the  throne  of 
EVance,  and  the  planter's  grandson  became,  in  his  turn,' 
in  the  gorgeous  halls  of  royalty,  the  guest  of  Kiiia  whdl 
had  been  the  planter's  guest.  But  again  "  the  riatin  de- 
scended, and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and 
beat  upon  the  king's  house,  and  it  fell,  and  great  was  the' 
fall  of  it,"  for  it  was  not  strong,  and  not  "  built  upon  a 
rock."  T^ow  are  the  king's  children  exiles  and  wander- 
ers on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Will  It  be  the  decree  o^ 
capricious  fortune  that  one.  of  them  shall  taste  the  hospi- 
tality which  his  royal  father  enjoyed  in  Louisiana  in  1798  ? 
But,  to  return  to  events  having  a  more  direct  bearing 
on  the  destinies  of  the  colony,  it  must  here  be  recorded 
that  Colonel  Charles  Grandpre  had  been  appointed  by 
the  Spanish  authority  to  take  the  command  at  Natchez, 
in  the  place  of  Brigadier-General  Gayoso  de  Lemos,  whd 
had  now  become  Governor  of  Lomsiaria.  But  Grand- 
pre's  energy,  and  the  little  favor  with  which  he  looked 
upon  the  Americans,  being  well  known,  the  "  Permanent 
Committee  of  Public  Safety"  declared  unanimously  that 
hia  presence  would  not  be  acceptable,  afid  might  be  the 
cause  of  a  dangerous  outbreak.  Under  such  circuta- 
stances,  it  was  thought  prudent  to  leave  the  comm&nd  of 
that  post  to  Captain .Mnol",  whd  was  then  actihg  as  civil 
and  military  commandant  ad  interim.  Captain  ll^or, 
as  Gayoso  had  done  before,  recognized  the  powers  o^  the 


m 


£ 


i^ 


eAirmx  QvioTx  at  irAixnusz.. 


m 


# 


tl^etmment  Comioiittee,^  and  tliis  eonceasiou  restoi^ed  so 
i]^{|<»li'4iarmony  between  the  two  parties,  that  TJ^atenant 
Fjope,  with  the  men  ninder  his  orders,  retired  a  few  miles 
from  Fort  Panmure  into  the  interior. 

In  the  meantime,  General  Wilkinson,  who  was  the 
commander-in-chief  of  the  American  army,  thonghtthat 
it  was  opportune  to  make  some  demonstration  that  wonid 
satisfy  the  Federal  Government  of  the  sincerity  of  his 
zeal,  gratify  the  impatience  of  the  Western  people,  and 
so  &r  operate  upon  the  Spani^  authorities  as  to  induce 
them  to  evacuate  the  forte  of  which  they  were  stUl  in 
possession.  In  consequence  of  this  determination,  he 
sent  Captain  Gnion  at  the  head  of  a  detachment,  with 
orders  to  assume  the  command  of  Natchez.  He  also  in- 
trusted Captain  Guion  with  a  despatch  for  Gayoso,  in 
which  he  said  of  the  bearer :  "This  officer's  ei^erience 
and  good  sense,  and  the  powers  with  which  he  is  clothed 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  cons|Hre  to  pro?* 
mise  a  happy  result  to  his  command,  in  which  I  flatter 
myself  I  shall  not  be  disappointed.''  In  obedience,  no 
dcubt,  to  the  instructions  which  had  been  given  to  him 
by  l^r.  Wilkinson,  and  perhaps  from  his  own  sense  of 
propriety,  Guion,  on  his  arrival  at  Natchez,  behaved  to- 
wards the  Spaniards  in  the  most  conciliatory  manner.  Qe 
checked  any  public  manifestation  of  disrespect  to  them, 
and  eserted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  allay  the  excite- 
mtent  which  prevailed  in  the  district.  He  almost  anmhi- 
lated  the  authority  of  the  "  Permanent  Committee  of 
Public  Safety,"  which  had  adopted,  he  thought,  impr^* 
dent  and  improper  measures,  and  he  went  even  so  faf 
as  to  threaten*  to  break  it  up  by  force.  But  Guion's 
liberality  and  the  amiableness  of  his  deportment  towaxds 
the>  Spaniai^  did  not  seem  to  ao(5eleratc  th^ir  riiove- 
nMrnts^vaiid  to  procure  their  desired  reiiiovalr  from  the 

:  ^  *^M6iiette*a  Huii^  of  a^  Vftlt^  «f  t^^^ 


#■>■ 


*t;: 


II! 


irs-* 


#iii: 


I 


t 


"Sfe^ 


FOBMATIOV  OF  THB  MlHfUBSIl^  TEBBITOBY. 

,|ort8  Panmurei  and  Nog&lea  (or  Walnut  Hillfl),  i^i^li 
0rme  the  only  r^maming  ones  to  be  evacuated— So  that 
Onion  himsdf,  becoming  impatient,  dedared  that  he 
would  not  wait  further  than  the  Ist  of  April,  lt99,.  and 
would  then  attack  the  forts.  *;  t  >^ 

But,  at  lastj  the  Spaniards  having  lost,  as  it  has  been 
seen  by  Power's  report  to  Garondelet,  all  hopes  of  ope- 
rating a  dismemberment  of  the  Union,  an  order  was  sent 
vl?y  the  court  of  Madrid  to  comply  with  the  stipulations 
of  the  treaty,  to  have  the  line  of  demarcation  surveyed, 
and  to  surrender  the  ceded  territory.  Thus,  on  ^e  23d 
jof  March,  Fort  Nogales,  at  Walnut  HiUs,  was  evacuated, 
and  its  garrison  came  down  to  Natchez,  where  they 
remained  until  the  29th,  when,  during  the  night,  the 
Spaniai'ds,  without  having  given  any  previous  notice  to 
the  A^mericans,  abandoned  the  fort,  after  having  sent  all 
their  ai-tillery,  ammunition,  baggage,  &C;,  on  board  of 
the  boats  and  galleys  they  had  oif  the  river.  By  day- 
break, the  Americans  entered  the  fort,  whicb  they  dis- 
covered to  be  vacant,  and  the  gates  of  which  bad  been 
left  open. 

■ -In  virtue  of  an  act  of  Congress  approved  on  the  10th 
of  May,  1798,  the  territory  thus  surrendered  by  the 
Spaniards  was  organized  into  a  territorial  government, 
and  designated  as  the  ''Mississippi  territoiy."  On  the 
26th  of  the  same  month.  General  Wilkinson  arrived  with 
the  federal  forces  at  Natcbez,  where  he  established  his 
head-quarters,  and,  shortly  after,  removed  to  the  well 
known  spot  on  the  river,  called  "La  Rochet  Davion" 
^j  the  iVench,  "Loftus's  Heights"  by  the  English,  and, 
gubsequen^y)  Foirt  Adams  by  the  AmerieanSj  £rom  the 
^pliiajlcationswhicli  were,  then,  begun  by  Wilkinson. 
.^Ihuswerer  debated  all  4^e;  schomes  aq4  ^IMts^  <^ 
Spain  to  protect  her  American  colonies  agabist  the  en* 
eroachments  which  she  fore8aw|  and  from  the  day  wh«n 


430VIIT  ABANDa's  VBOVBXOT, 


Jiet  feeble  lumd  thus  reHnqoished  the  grasp  of  j»  impor- 
tant a  portloii  of  lier  dominiona  in  Xjpiiiaian%  iiiay  be 
gi^d  to  dftte  ^e  rapid  decay  of  her  power  on  l^e  eonti 
nent  which  she  chums  to  have  discovered,  and  where 
she  had  accomplished  so  much.  The  danger  that  threat- 
ened Bpain  in  America  had  long  been  foreseen  by  one 
of  her  ablest  statesmen,  the  Count  of  Aranda,  who,  in 
the  cabinet  council  which  was  convened  in  Madrid  by 
the  King  to  determine  whether  Spain,  after  the  re  volu- 
tion of  1768  which  had  resulted  in  the  ejcpukion  of 
Governor  Ulloa  from  Louisiana,  should  persist  in  accept- 
ing the,  donation  of  that  province  by  tiie  French  Khig 
and  make  the  necessary  efforts  to  recover  its  possession, 
had  so  strenuously  spoken  in  the  affirmative,  on  the 
ground  of  the  urgent  necessity  of  establishing  a  penna- 
nent  barrier  between  the  gi'owing  power  and  ambitk);i 
of  the  northern  British  colonies  and  the  wealthy  but 
Weak  provinces  of  Mexico.  Affcer  signing  the  treaty  of 
Paris,  in  1 1 83,  the  same  minister  had  submitted  to  his 
Catholic  Majesty  a  secret  memoir,*  in  which  he  declare^, 
that  the  independence  of  the  British  colonies  filled  his 
mind  wil^  grief  and  fear,  and  expressed  his  be^ef  that 
both  France  and  Spain  acted  in  opposil^on  to  their  mte- 
rcsts  when  they  espoused  the  cause  o!i^  those  colonies, 
because  he  regarded  the  eidstcnce  of  the  Umted  States 
of  America  as  highly  dangerous,  to  t^e  Spanish  Amerir 
can  possessions,  and,  on  this  subject,  used  the  follpw^ 
ing  very  remarkable  language : 

*'l^  federal  republic  is  bom  a  pigmy,  if  I  may  be 
allowed  so  to  express  myself.  It  has  required  the^is^ 
port  of  two  such' ppwerfuL  States  as  France  and  %i^  to 
obtfiiii  Its  i^p^ence.  The  day  will  oom^  whi^n  she 
willi'be^  -a  g^i^il^  a  colossus  ^nudaUe  eiven  to  l^i^ 


# 


V'f.-fJ 


,# 


'I 


#. 


991 


oouin  a&aitda's  vaoftwpcsT, 


countries.  She  will  forget  the  services  she  has  'rep^iTed 
from  the  two  powers,  and  will  think  only  of  h^f  qwn 
aggrandizement.  The  liberty  of  conscience,  the  facility 
of  establishing  a  new  population  upon  immense  territo- 
ries, together  with  the  advantages  of  a  new  government 
(meaning  free,  no  doubt),  will  attract  the  agricultmisto 
s^nd  mechanics  of  all  nations,  for  men  ever  run  after 
fortune ;  and,  in  a  few  years,  we  shall  see  the  tyrannical 
existence  of  this  very  colossus  of  which  I  speak. 

"The  first  step  of  this  nation,  after  it  has  become 
powerful,  will  be  to  take  possession  of  the  Floridas  in 
order  to  have  the  command  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and, 
after  having  rendered  difficult  our  commerce  with  New 
Spain,  she  will  aspire  to  the  conquest  of  that  vast  em- 
pire, which  it  will  be  impossible  for  us  to  defend  against 
A;  formidable  power  established  on  the  same  continent, 
and  in  its  immediate  neighborhood.  These  fears  are 
well  founded ;  they  must  be  realized  in  a  few  years,  if 
some  greater  revolution,  even  more  fatal,  does  not  sooner 
take  place  in  our  Americas." 

In  conclusion,  he  proposed,  as  the  best  means  of 
averting  this  imminent  danger,  that  Spain  should  relin- 
quish the  Ameripas  and  establish  therein  three  of  the 
Infantes,  one  to  be  king  of  Meidco,  one  of  Peru,  and  the 
other  of  Costa  Firme,  retaining  under  the  dcxiiinion  of 
the  mother  country  only  Porto  Rico  and  Cuba;  and  he 
recommended  that  a  treaty  of  commerce  be  entered  into 
between  France  and  Spain  in  relation  to  these  countries, 
from  the  advantages  of  which  Great  Britain  should  be 
excluded.  - 

These  views  explain  the  tenaciousness  with  which,  to 
the  last  moment,  Spain  held  fast  to  every  inch  of  the 
ground  which  she  considered  as  constitutmg  a  rianpart 
against  the  anticipaited  agressions  of  her  gy^t  north- 
western neighbor.    In  relation  to  her  1^  itttr^g^  wi# 


:^^'' 


JOlf. 


IQ  whien  sb^  bad  eid(i;aged  in  th^  rain  hope 
(rf'i^|)Kng^  when  still  in  the  cradle,  the  new-born  gtant 
pb^it^  ont  to  her  by  Count  Aranda,  Monette  sayB,  in 
bis  History  of  ibe  Valley  of  the  Mississippi :  "Tbe  te- 
tn^rity  of  tbis  last  intrigue,  put  in  operation  by  the 
Governor  of  Louisiana,  astonishes  every  reflecting  m'nd. 
But  'General  Wilkinson  was  a  talented  and  ambitious 
maii;  he  had  received  many  favors  from  the  Spanish 
governors  nearly  ten  years  before ;  he  had  received 
exclusive  pHvileges  in  the  commerce  with  Louisiana; 
a  long  and  confidential  intercourse  had  existed  between 
hini  and  Oovei^*ir  Mird ;  he  was  known  to  have  in- 
dulgiftd  a  prediletition  for  Spanish  authority,  ahd  was 
ainbitious  of  power  and  distinction ;  ho  was  now  at  the 
head  of  the  western  aimies,  and,  with  the  power  and 
infttience  of  bis  station,  he  might  effectually  bring  dbout 
rt  si^paration  of  the  "West,  the  formation  of  a  new  repub- 
lic, 6]f  iVhich  he  himself  might  be  the  suprenie  ruler,  and 
conduct  the  alliance  with  Spain.  Such  may  have  been 
the  reasonings  of  Baron  de  Carondelet,  at  this  \a.x^ 
period. 

"But  General  Wilkinson  had  already  proceeded  too  fir 
in  his  treasonable  intrigues  and  correspondence  with  tibe 
Spanish  Governor,  and  the  suspicions  of  his  own  govern- 
ment rested  upon  him.  The  brilliant  prospects  and  the 
bright  hopes  of  becoming  the  head  of  a  new  confed^rar 
tion,  had  vanished  from  his  imagination,  and  he  w 
anxioos  to  retain  his  command,  and  with  it  his  standing 
as  a  patriotic  citizen  of  the  United  States.  Hence,  in  the 
summer  of  1797,  he  had  given  to  Power  a  cold  reception ; 
he  hid  informed  him  that  the  time  for  a  separation  had 
passed  by;  that  now  the  prcgeelj  of  the  Baron  de 
Cdi^del4t  would  be  ch!in€«i<«d  in  the  extriBme;  i^iil' 

tbeW^tte^>i^p^ 

thej^  d^io'ed,  ais^^at  now  tliey  entertained  no  widn  fdi 


% 


^  r 


Jib 


OHAKGE  IK  G 


•Wtl! 


&  VIEWS. 


an  allianoe  with  either  Spain  or  Franoe ;  that  ihe  ftolftl- 
cal  ferment  which  eidsted  fonr  yean  previotii^yh^' en- 
tirely snlmded ;  and  that,  far  from  de«(triBg  on  alHtince 
with  Louisiana  under  the  Spanish  Orown,  the  people  of 
Kentncky,  prior  to  the  treaty  of  Madrid,  had  proposed 
to  invade  Louisiana  with  an  army  of  ten  thonsand  men, 
to  be  put  in  motion  upon  the  fliBt  open  rupture  between 
the  two  governments;  and  that  now  they  were  higBly 
exasperated  at  the  spoliations  committed  upon  the  An^rit. 
can  commerce  by  fVench  privateers,  :vho  brought  their 
pnzes  into  the  port  of  New  Orleans  for  condemnation 
and .  confiscation.  He  gave  it  as  his  ^ipinion  that  the 
Gk)vernor-gieneral  would  therefore  consult  his  own  in- 
terest, and  the  interest  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  by  an 
immediate  compliance  with  the  terms  of  the  treaty. 

"  General  Wilkinson  also  complained  that  his  connec- 
tion and  his  correspondence  with  the  Spanish  Governor 
had  been  divulged ;  that  all  his  plans  had  been  defeated, 
and  the  labor  of  ten  years  had  been  lost ;  that  he  had 
now  burned  all  his  correspondence  and  destroyed  his 
r.  eyphers,  and  that  duty  and  honor  forbade  a  continuance 
of  the  intercourse.  Yet  he  still  indulged  the  hope  of 
being  able  to  manifest  his  confidence  in  the  Baron ;  for 
it  was  probable  that  he  would  rece've  from  the  Federal 
Government  the  appointment  of  Governor  over  the 
Natchez  district,  alter  its  surrender  agreeably  to  treaty, 
when  he  should  not  want  an  opportunity  of  pi-omoting 
hw  pdltical  projects." 

Although  Spain  had  been  drawn  into  the  wars  which 
desolated  tl^e  European  continent,  still  Xiouisiana  had 
^It  none  of  their  direful  consequences,  and  had  continued 
'ik>  ei^oy  an  uninterrupted  tranquillity,  which  was  only 
l^a^ed  by  tite  fears  restilting  from  the  rapM  e2etensi0ii 
if  the  AjD^rieai^  setdementB^    Shaicould  i^retidy  see  the 


-H'0 


DANIEL  OLABK  iLP!K    <TBD  CONSUL. 


897 


HluidQifrB  of  t]b9  (tomtng  giAnt  ^opting  aorosa  her  boeom 
tind  darkeolE^  her  sky^       . 

TJiie  coipmerce  of  New  Orleans,  however,  had  been 
ejteadUy  inoreaaing,  patrticQlarly  with  the  United  States, 
If  ^and  this  (^ircnmstance  was  deemed  sufficient  to  reqqire 
the  appointment  of  an  official  agent  b>  the  Federal 
Ooyernudent,  to  protect  their  commercial  interests.  ^'  Be- 
9ide4,'^,says  Colonel  £lliootfe;  in  his  l^umal,  *Hhe  Fisench 
{^ivateers  had  now  become  very  troublesome  to  the 
trad«;of  the  U|:iited  Stated  in  the  West  Indies,  and  about 
the  (^H|f  of  Mexico.  A  number  of  o'v  captured  vessels 
were  ^en  into  the  port  of  New  Orleans,  condemned^ 
and  confiscated  with  their  cargoes  at  a  trifling  price,  our 
seamen  treated  in  the  most  shameful  manner,  and  our 
trade  otherwise  brought  into  gmat-  jeopardy."  This 
induced  the  American  commissioner,  Colonel  Ellicott,  to 
prevail  upon  the  Governor  of  Louisiana  to  Irecognize 
Daniel  Clark,  Jr.,  as  consul  for  the  United  States  until 
the, President  should  make  a  regular  ^pointment,  which 
was  shortly  <^ter  conferred  on  Evan  ifones,  with  Huling. 
as  vice-consul.* 

In  consequence  of  the  cloee  proximity  of  the  American 
and  SpaniJ^h;  posts,  a  convention  was  entered  into  be- 
tween .Govjemor  Gayoso  and  General  Wilkinson  for  the 
mutual  sni'render^  of  deserters,  and  also  an  agreement, 
somewhat  of  Ihe" like  nature,  was  made  between  the, 
Goverhor  of,  the  Mississippi  territory,  at  Natchez,  and 
Don  Jose  Vidal,  Commandant  of  the  Spanish  post,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  for  the  recipro.cal  sm> 
render^  of  fugitive  slaves.  *  The  animosity  which  had 
existed  between  the  American  and  Spanish  atithorities 
aeemed  to hav^dip appeared  entirely,  and  to  have  given 
v/ay  to  an  aii^cable^  intercouTM  i^d  to  good  feelingsi* 


»% 


iff 


■m 


f* 


<8fc 


IITJ 


■LEA   ASV  IJB  MXA&URE8. 


In  oommemorallo^  of  tliis  jM^pjiy  chao^  -^r—r- 
Comnurndfjit,  Boo  Jose  Tlc^  gfliife  the  ttino  of  "Con- 
cord" tc  the  fort  whidi  wi«  greeted  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river,  in  fcoQt  of  Fort  Panmnre  oji  th#  east  8ici<d, 
and  the  present  pfirish  of  Ooncordia  derives  i^itppella' 
ti<m  from  this  circumstanqe.  I'ho  yillitlge  of  iTidalia, 
now  existing  opposite  Natehe%  is  i^eidled  fi'otti  the  old 
Spanish  Commandai^  Don  ^(fise  M^im  vldal  f  > 

Under  the  royal  decree,  of  the  24th  of  August,  iVtO, 
'  the  civil  and  military  governors  of  Lonbiana  hiid:l^one 
been  empowered  to  make  ^Concessions  of  iakji  lands 
belonging  to  the  Grown;  but,  on ^th^  3 J^stdf  October, 
in  the  year  1798,  the  King  of  Spain  thought  proper  to 
vest  that  iK)wer  exclusively* in  the  Intendant  of  the 
ipro^onces  of  Louisiana  and  West  Florida.  ,  ' 
'In  consequence  of  this  royal  schedule,  the  Intendivnt 
Morales  issued,  on  the  l7th,,of  July,  1799,  a  set  of  regu- 
lations, to  which  ihy}  lionccssions  Of  tand  should  hereafter 
bi^  subjected.*  These  re^la^ons  were  considered  at 
the  time  inimical  to  the  Americans,  and  calculated  to 
prevent  their  emigration  intj?  Iiouisiana.  Another 
i)aeflsure  adopted  by  Morales^Was  looked  upon  ^s  still 
more  hostile  and  as  the  harl|inger  of  future  oppressive 
acts,  aimed  at  crippling  the  commerce  of  ther United 
States.  -^ 

It  \dll  be  recollected  that,  by  the-trdlty  of  Madrid 
concluded  in  October,  1796,  between  Slpain  and  the 
United  States,  the  citazens  eC  the  lattel^po^^er  had 
secured  to  themselves  the  right  of  deposit  in  New 
Orleans  for  their  western  proiucc,  for  the  space  of  three 
years,  to  be  counted  from  the  date  of  the  rati^c^ion  of 
the  treaty,  and  that  his  Catholic  Majesty  had  bound 
himself,  at  the  ei^^iril^on  of  tlie  three  yeare,  to  extend 
tKe€me,orto  " 


1|(»e  thf  ,^)>pendjx. 


,    '7- 


W 


»*!# 


kORAJ.m  QUABRBU  "WJtU  OAT0(k>.  HP 

^e'iiiliaid  of  New  Orleans,  to  serve  as  a  place  of  de> 
pofii*  The  Inteodant  Morales,  considering  that  thres 
yedri  had  elapsed  since  the  ratification  of  the  treaty 
between  his  Sovereign  and  the  United  States,  iMsned  an 
order,f  prohibiting  the  use  of  New  Orleans  as  a  place 
6f  deposit  by  the  Western  people,  bat  without  designate 
ing  cm^  other  mikMe  pomt.  When  thib  measure  be- 
came known  in  the  West,  it  excited  the  most  intense 
ind|gnatioii,  and  an  expedition  against  New  Orleans  was 
o{$e^y  contemplated.  President  Adams  himself  had^^^ 
be^  ob%ed  to  make  sqpie  demonstrations  in  the  way 
pointed  out,  by  the  curi'ent  of  popular  opinion,  and  had 
orde^d  three  regiments  of  the  regular  army  to  con- 
centrate on  the  Ohio,  and  to  wait  for  •further  orders* 
Twelve  additional  regiments  were  ordered  to  be  raised 
by  Congress,  and  other  preparations  were  made,  which 
sedmed  to  indicate  that  an  immediate  campaign,  was 
projected  against  Louisiana. 

Wh^n,  to  meet  such  dangers,  all  the  resources  of  ^e 
colony  should  have  been  carefully  husbanded,  and  when 
the  greatest  hannony  should  have  prevailed  among  the 
Spanish  officers,  a  misunderstanding  of  a  serious  nature 
had  sprung  up  between  the  Intendant  Morales  and 
Governor  Gayoso — ^between  the  purse  and  the  sword*  '^ 
On  the  8l8t  of  January,  1799,  Mori^eSyin  a  despatch'^b 
his  government,  complained  bitterly  of  the  temper  of 
the  Governor,  of  his  mode  of  thinking,  of  his  disposition 
to  indulge  in  useless  expenses,  and  said  that,  in  such 
circumstances,  he.  Morales,  could  not  have  it  in  his 
power  to  serve  the  King  as  effectually  as  he  wished;!]: 
On  the  Blst  of  March,  he  again  complained  that  the     ,^ 

*  Motiette's  Van«y  of  th«  Miss.,  vol.  i.,  p.  648. 
^(  lltrti&'ii  Hift6ry  of  Loouiana,  ToL  ii.,  p.  168. 

^'VlM(!*<qiM  M  tal  «t^  «intot«rd«l  goWnkdor,  t«l  ta  modo  de  p«naar, y  tan 
propeniio  4  haoer  gaatot  fanrtilM  qtta  no  podi4  aewir  4  m  libjartad,  (womi^  •) 
d«Mar4..  •         S.:^'" 


i^. 

.'«!■' ' 


iMf! 


1V 


m> 


UOJULBB  <)VARRSL8  WITH  OATOSO, 


Governor  illegally  oHBamed  powers  which  belonged  to 
the  Intendaut;  that  he,  Morales,  was  obliged  to  yield 
to  many  of  the  Governor's  unjust  exigencies,  in  order  to 
avoid  scandalous  dL=iputes,  and  that  he  had  in  vain  mfule 
to  that  officer  confidential  observations  on  the  subject; 
he  ftirther  went  on  animadverting  with  severity  on  seve- 
ral acta  of  Gayoso's  adminintration  .  "The*  Governor's 
natural  disposition,"  said  Morales,  ^Ho  waste  what  he 
jDwns  as  well  as  what  he  borrows^  and  to  cause  those 
hbout  him  to  do  the  same,  and  his  desire  to  increase  his 
prerogatives  and  power,  and  to  show  himself  generous 
at  the  expense  of  the  King,  are  much  more  the  causes 
of  all  the  defensive  preparations  which  he  requires,  than 
hU  fear  of  the  invasion  from  the  Americans,  which  serves 
as  a  pretext  for  his  demands."  He  then  recites  in  detail 
the  I'easons  why  he  thinks  that  the  Americans  have 
^ven  up  all  ideas  of  attacking  Louisiana,  ever  since  they 
have  been  put  in  possession  of  the  ceded  territory,  and 
he  comments  on  the  smallness  of  Wilkinson's  forces, 
which  do  not  exceed  four  hundred  men.  He  complains 
also  of  the  orders  issued  and  of  the  measures  taken  by 
Gayoso,  in  relation  to  the  galleys  and  boats  which  con- 
stituted the  naval  resources  of  the  colony.  "  Without 
knowing  more  thau  I  dof  in  this  matter,"  writes  Morales, 

*  Su  propens'on  natural  4  gastar  lo  snyo,  y  lo  que  pid«  preatedo,  y  i  haoer 
gastar  &  quantos  le  cir  'tidan,  y  el  deseo  de  tener  objetos  en  qne  wctonder  sua 
facultadea^  y  manife8t>,rie  generoRo  &  costa  del  Rey,  eran  mas  bieitlos  ageatea 
de  loit  preparativoa  de  defei  <■&  que  exigfa,  que  los  recelos  de  inraaion  de  parte  de 
lo*  Amerioanoa  a  ouya  sombra  so  eolioitaban. 

f  Sin  ontender  mas  quo  yo,  se  cree  este  gobeiuador  sobresaliente  A  los  mejoi  cs 
generales  de  marina.  Aquellas  coaas  ban  producido  entre  nosotros  obnteataoiones 
bastante  agrias  y  desagradnbles,  hafita  el  punto  de  pretender  que  la  Intendenoia, 
sin  hablar  ^alabra,  se  someta  A  iodbs  sus  capricbos^  depreoiando  onantaa  razonca 
se  alegan  para  evitar  &  S.  M.  gastos  inatiles.  Creo  de  absolata  y  indispensable 
neoesitad  que  el  R<iy  se  digne  tomar  una  de  dos  determinaoionea  que  son:  6 
cob»rt#r  las  facultades  de  este-  gobernador  en  los  terminos  qua  seah  diB.  •<>  >^b1 
(Qrado;  d  con  «l /conooimiento  que  day  de  la  sitoaeion  de  estas  RealeaOi^as 
proporeiosw:  AM  IntendeBcia  tne^d*  ^/ara que  pneda  Iknaif  loa  daMM itt «ito 
gefe. 


>* 


^pi' 


# 


± 


MOBAUDI'  DBBPATOH. 


401 


^the  Goveraor  thinks  himself  superior  in  nautical  know- 
ledge to  the  best  marine  officers.  Those  things  havo 
prodaoed  between  us  sufficiently  bitter  and  disagreeable 
diseussions,  and  the  Governor  goes  so  far  as  to  pretend, 
that  the  Intendant  must  submit  to  all  his  caprices,  with- 
out having  one  word  to  say,  when  he,  the  Governor, 
treats  with  contempt  aU  the  reasons  wliich  are  laid  be* 
fore  him  to  -avoid  drawing  his  Majesty  into  fruitless 
expenses.  For  these  reasons,  I  think  it  indispensably 
necessary  that  the  King  should  do  one  of  these  ^  • 
things:  either  confine  the  powers  of  this  Governor  wi»  i  ji 
the  limits  which  his  Majesty  may  deem  proper  to  p^i 
scribe,  or,  taking  into  consideration  the  informatio  ^ 
have  given  as  to  the  condition  of  the  royal  treasury  m 
this  colony,  supply  me  with  the  means  of  satisfying,  the 
exigencies  of  this  officer." 

Morales,  among  the  sources  of  unnecessary  expenses 
which  he  enumerates,  mentions  the  establishment*  of 
couriers  between  Pensaoola  and  Savannah,  the  costs  of 
which  he  has  not  as  yet  been  able  to  ascertain.  *'  But, 
^  far,"  says  he,  "they  have  been  of  no  further  use  than 
procuring  gazettes  from  that  section  of  the  country ;  and 
we  all  know  what  faith  is  to  be  put  in  the  news  to  be 
found  in  the  northern  gazettes,  in  which  any  one  m&f 
insert  what  he  pleases  for  four  reals." 

On  the  30th  -^f  April,  1799,  Morales  wrote  to  his 
government  to  acknowledge  having  received  from  the 
Viceroy  of  New  Spain  $48-1,238,  to  pay  the  expenses  of 
the  preceding  year,  1798,  and  also  $50,000,  which  were 
due  for  the  budget  of  1797. 

The  misunderstanding  between  Gayoso  and  Morales 

*  Jm  eomot  que  tu  y  vienen  de  P«iumo1«  &  SaTanntb,  qu«  »ua  no  •£  A 
qaaato  Moi«j)d«  <!  gMta  Sol»  prodt)^  haste  idiom  gtoetss  do  aquel  pantgo,  y 
«•  Mkhiifi  tl  ONdho  que  {mod*  dano  1  las  aiodiiias  do  l«s  gaoetas  dol  norto,  doad* 
por  qis  V.  f }  .•mIo:  oada  nno  pa«do  poner  Iqm^o  mas  aoomoda  4  sos  ideaSi 


^' 


w 


■* 


>* 


"^ 


■'  v/'w  ■  y 


m 


l:»Si 


i 


4os 


morales'  ooMPUdim. 


I; 


^t 


«g>. 


went  on.  daily  increasing^  and,  in  a  despateh  of  tlie  Slst 
of  May,  the  Intendant  observeid^*  tba*,  considca-ing  it 
was  no  longer  possible  for  him  to.  continue  to  he  in  a 
state  of  open  warfare  against  the  Governor,  he  found 
himself  under  the  necessity  of  supplicating  his  Majesty 
to  relieve  him  from  discharging  the  functions  of  Inten- 
dant, and  to  transfer  him  to  some  other  point  of  his  Ma- 
jesty's dominions  in  America.  He  then  goes  on  giving 
;"  minute  and  positive  proofe,"  as  he  says,  "of  the  violence 
and  tyranny  exercised  towards  him  by  the  Grovernor, 
who  transgresses  that  moderation  and  urbanityf  with 
which  those  in  authority  ought  to  be  treated,  who  itisults 
and  threatens  the  intendancy,  and  commits  all  the  ex- 
cesses which  are  recited." 

The  Federal  Government  had  ordered  Wilkinson  |;o 
Washington,  to  confer  with  him  upon  all  the  important 
matters  relating  to  the  West  and  to  Louisiana,  on  which 
he  was  supposed  to  possess  the-most  extensive  informa- 
tion. He  accordingly  descended  the  Mississippi  from 
Natchez,  and  departed  from  New  Orleans  for  New  ^York. 
In  a  despatch  of  the  10th  of  July,  Morales  speaks  of  Wil- 
kinson's late  visit  to  that  town,  and  communicates  to  his 
government  all  the  intelligence  he  has  been  able  to  ol> 
tain  in  relation .  to  the  political  views  of  the  United 
States  concerning  Louisiana,  by  pumping  the  American 
general.  "  Conceahng,"  says  Morales,  "  what  we  kaaow} 
of  his  reprehensible  deportment  towards  us,  we  have 
given  him  as  kind  and  as  favorable  a  welcome  as  his 

*  Dice  que  no  siendole  posible  por  mas  tiempa^l  continuar  en  pugna  abierta 
eon  aqnel  goberrador,  se  ve  en  la  precision  de  stipUcar  i  S.  l£  so  sirra  rele^tavle 
del  oarga  de  intendeikte'jrtnisladarle  4 'Otro  panto  deles  dotouuMdeAaieriiea. 

f  Gontraviniendo  &  lo  que  presoriben  la  moderacion  y  urbanidad  con  que  deben 
ser  tratadtts  las  personos  eonstituidas  en  mando,  instdtando  y  amenazando  d  la 
intendeueia,  y  coDi«tietidd'  los  -demas  exbesoa  qoe  refiere.  ^  -    .. 

% Disimulahdolo  quo  sabemos  su  reprensible  oianejo  ,«<ta  veepeto  &  nipaotros^ 

lo  hembs  obsequiado  ea  los  mejorts  t^rAtlaoi  qtie  pennite,d  p<U%'7>'«3gfak  IMoa 
raeter,  ice.,  Ac 


•  % 


% 


m 


s* 


MORA£l»  AKD^  WHXINSOm 


408 


raiik reqttirediisid  ouc inesm  pelrditted  in tbh country. 
Oik  the  er^  <^  los  departure,  I  prevailed  upon  him  to 
fbraisli  me  tiri^  a  eopy  of  tlie  instructioiis  wMoh  h^  liad 
leftr  with  Major  Cnslii&g,  Ms  sticcess<»',  as  to  th6  manner 
in  which  this  offiicer  was  to  demean  himself  towards  the 
Spaniards.  They  simply  amotmt  to  this,— that  the 
American  officers  are,  by  all  posdble  means,  to  cultivate 
ottr  friendship  and  to  preserve  the  good  understanding 
which  so  fortunately  eidsts  between  the  two  powers. 

« It  would  not  be  justifiable  to  draw  favorable  or  un- 
favorable conclusions  from  the  mere  outward  show  of 
such  demonstrations.*  But,  as  there  are  certain  moments 
when  the  individuals  of  that  nation  are  in  the  habit  of 
opening  their  hearts,  I  will  not  conceal  from  your  Excel- 
lency, that,  in  those  moments  of  effusion,  when  the 
General  was  with  peraons  who  possessed  all  his  confi- 
dence, he  manifested  the  same  sentiments  which  I  com- 
Dftunicated  in'my  confidential  despatch  of  the  Slst  of 
May  last.  No.  23.  In  a  few  words,  the  policy  of  the 
United  States  may  be  said  to  be  reduced  to  these  twov 
points :  I'— to  prevent  France  and  England  taking  pos- 
session of  this  province  by  cession,  or  by  the  force  of 
arms ;  2*^— to  repress  any  sd^eme  of  separalion  which 
may  be  entertained  by  the  Stat«^  of  Kentucky  MidT^ii- 
nessefe.  The  General  gave  it  even  to  be '  understood, 
that  he  thought  it  proper,  and  therefore  would  propose 
td  the  President-trthat  he  should  return  with  full  author- 
ity to  help  us  with  aU  the  forces  under  his  command  in 
case  the  English  should  invade  the  colony,  provided  we 
do  not,  in  the  miean  time,  declare  war  against  them,  the 

*  Nd  pnede  tovmvti^  jttici<\iii  dc^ttcirepoMqaenc^M  advsnas  nlfeypmUeftde 
MunrMJfltiti^  ezt«rior«d»d«K;  pfiro  con  todo^  eomo  Ijii  jjidiTtduos  do  aita  naoion 
■9«I«h  ^txM  tnomiettioi  «ft  ^  «i  eorasoa  se  ^{ttndi^  livtookdtMtf  jl  Tt  &t  g«uk  ta 
lei  qu«  ]i»°{^do  JieiioifllMif^hr^q^^ 

UifMtaddlb  nwiano  que  eqpiiM  A  V^&ij||pji)i  rtipitMnUimon  roMrrikda  del  SI 
lUyo  nltioMN  Na  28. 


flWf 


Ur'}\ 


>*■> 


ji* 


404 


k 


FmE  IMPOSED  ON   CABQKDELET. 


^ 


Americans,  because  it  is  more  to  the  interest  of  the 
United  States  that  this  province  remain  luider  tibie  do- 
mination of  Spain.  But,  to  accomplish  the  two  obje^te 
they  have  in  view,  the  forces  which  they  possess  at  the 
posts  they  have  occupied  are  very  limited." 

According  to  the  provisions  of  the  Spanish  Jurispru- 
dence, and  to  time-honored  custom,  Gayoso  had  received 
the  commission  of  Judge  of  Kesidence  to  inquire  into  the 
^::acts  of  his  predecessor.  It  seems  that,  on  this  occasion, 
it  did  not  turn  out  to  be  an  idle  and  unmeaning  for- 
mality, and  Judge  Martin,  in  his  History  of  Louisiana, 
records  as  follows  the  result  of  the  investigation :  "One 
act  of  the  Baron's  administration  was  deemed  reprehen- 
sible. He  had  been  deluded  by  an  excess  of  zeal  for 
what  he  conceived  to  be  the  public  good,  into  taking 
upon  himself  the  responsibility  of  condemning  to  death 
a  slave,  who  had  killed  his  owner.  The  fact  was  proved, 
but  Vidal,  the  assessor  of  government,  conceived  that 
the  circumstances  which  attended  it,  did  not  bring  the 
(pase  under  any  law  authorizing  a  sentence  of  death,  and 
had  recommended  a  milder  one.  At  the  solicitation  of 
\  number  of  respectable  planters,  and  of  the  owner  of 
the  slave,  Marigny  de  Mandeville,  a  knight  of  St.  Louis 
and  a  Colonel  of  the  Militia,  who  represented  to  the 
Baron  that  an  example  was  absolutely  necessary,,  espe- 
cially so  soon  after  the  late  insurrection,  he  disregarded 
the  opinion  of  his  legal  adviser,  and  ordered  the  execu- 
tion of  the  slave.  It  was  thought  the  life  of  a  human 
being,  although  a  slave,  ought  not  to  depend  on  the 
opinion  of  a  man,  in  any  case  where  its  sacrifice  was  not 
expressly  ordered  by  law.  A  fine  of  five  hundred  dol- 
lars was  imposed  oil  and  paid  by  the  Baron." 

In  a  despatch  of  the  25tb  of  July,  Morales  informed 
his  govemm^t  of  the  death  of  Gayoso,  in  the  foHo wing 


m 


^^ 


i 


espe- 
tarded 
3xecu- 
lumaii 
in  the 
las  not 
dol- 


GAYOSO^S  DEATH. 


t(jrms :  "  Oil  tlie  ISth  inst,  it  pleased  Gk)d*  to  put  an  end 
t6  the  life  and  government  of  Brigadicr-Genei'al  Bon 
Manuel  Gayoso  de  Lembs.  He  died  of  a  tfiaUgnant  f ever^ 
of  the  nature  of  those  which  prevail  In  this  country 
during  the  summer,  and  the  dangerous  character  of  which 
was  known  only  a  few  hours  before  it  terminated  fatally. 
H<6  had  no  time  to  lose  in  fulfilling  the  last  duties  of  the 
Christian,  and  in  making  his  testamentary  disposition^.^ 
A  short  time  before  expiring,  he  reconciled  himself  witjjirf^ 
rae,  and  we  exchanged  a  reciprocal  pardon  for  the  causes 
of  complaint  we  had  given  to  each  other  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  what  we  had  thought  our  respective  duties." 
Governor  Gayoso  died  extremely  poor,  leaving  nothing 
to  his  heirs  but  a  large  amount  of  debts.  He  was  a 
spendthrift,  in  the  fall  sense  of  the  word.  Having  been 
educated  in  England,  he  had  adopted  some  of  the  habits 
peculiar  to  that  country,  particularly  that  of  indulging 
too  much  in  the  pleasures  of  the  table.  It  is  said  that 
Wtikinson's  last  visit  to  New  Orleans  proved  fatal  to 
Gayoso.  They  had  long  been  on  a  footing  of  intimacy* 
strengthened  by  a  similarity  of  tastls ;  and,  on  their 
recently  coming  together,  they  had  carried  to  an  excess 
their  ooftvivialities,  which  had  predisposed  Gayoso  to  the  ., 
dis^as'e  that  carried  him  off  in  his  forty-eighth  year.  On 
his  sudden  death,  Don  Francisco  BouHgny,  who  was  the 
Colonel  of  the  regiment  of  Louisiana,  assumed  the  mili- 
tary administration  of  the  colony,  and  the  auditor,  Don 
Jose  Marid  VidaJ,  the  civil  and  political  govemment.f 

*  "EX  18  del  oorrieate  At6  Dios  servido  pooer  fia  «1  gobiemo  <1«1  BrigadUjr  Don 
Mannel  Qayo«o  de  Lemos.  tTna  calentura  maligna  de  las  que  ofreoe  «9te  pais  en 
la  eetacion  de  verano,  no  eonoeida  por  los  faonltativoa  hasta  algnnas  boras  ictes 
de  su  ftllioimianto  le  quitd  la  Tida,  babieado  sido  forzoso  andAr  de  pij^a  para  ; 
qu«  eoollililM  <9on  hw  otdnaoiones  d«  cbrist{a,no  y  que  bi<»era  teatamento,  Poco 
antes  de  expilar  b«  reooneuid  eonmigo,  j  qtiedaron  reoiproeaOirinte  Tiniitid&s  las 
qn^jjas  penoaiiles  A  qae  did  Iug*r  tf  etim|^iiiii«ntoi(ie  bi  ^tie  eida  nito  entendia 
ler  Bilcbligadoii.  -,,  ' 

t  McnkWde^wtobofibeSStbof  JalyfiY99.  , 


#' 

^ 


11 


.     k 

406  .^OJINSUS  OF  UPP^R   LOII^UNA. 

The  post  of  New  Madrid  was,  this  year,  annexed  |0 
ITp^er  Louisiana,  of  which  ac^nsmwas  made  hy  ordev 
of  its  eoixunandant-generalf  Charleb  Dehault  De  Las^us, 
which  presenteil  the  following  results :  ,^.    , 

„.      St  Louis,          .        •        •        •        •        .        .        •        •  9^6 

Garondelet,      .        .        .        , 184  ' 

St  Charies,      .........  ,    W6       T 

St  Fernando,           .        . ^^ 

Marais  des  Liards,  .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .  8^6^    ' 

Maramec,         .'       ..       .        .    '   .        . '      .        «        .  '  lit!     - 

St  Andrew,     .,,..,        .        .        .        .        .       .  89.Si      .... 

St  Genevieve,          ........  iM 

!^ev  Bourbon,                 ,  ^^^gj^mm  .        .        .        .  660 

Gape  Girardeau,               ^fl^^^^^Bv'                       *  '^^^ 

.    New  Madrid,                   '  JI^I^IP  •       •        •        •  ^^^ 

Little  Meadows,               ^^'S^^^^MB  ^  ■ :     ^jj 

Total,  6,028 

The  white  population*  numbered  4,948  sOuk;  the 
free  colored  197  ;  the  slaves  883. 

The  commerce  of  that  part  of '^e  country  had  Also 
increased  in  proportion  to  the  augmentation  of  the  popu- 
lation. Its  crops  amounted  to  265,047  bushels  of  wheat, 
^bout  the  same  of  Indian  com,  and  28,627  pounds  of 
tobacco.  Thirteen  hundred  and  forty  quintals  of  lesld 
were  produced  from  the  mines,  and  a,bout  one  tliousand 
barrels  of  sialt  from  the  dalt  wells.  The  fur  trade,  whi(&h 
Was  carried  on  entirely  through  New  Orleans,  gave  ala^ 
nually  about  $75,000.  .. 

On  beiiig  informed  of  Crayoso's  death,  the  Mkr^tiis  de 
Someruelos,  Oaptain-General  of  the  island  of  Cuba  and 
of  Louisiana,  sent  over  the  Marquis  de  Oasa  Oalyo  to  be 
the  governor  ad  interim  of  the  colony.  This  gentlemaai 
entered  on  his  functions  in  the  fall  of  the  year. 

'On  ilie  l^th  of  OctobeiVMorales  wrote  to  his  gdv^ffe' 
inent  lliatj  ^TiBg  lieard  of  th^^  appointment  ^Dbii 

'»'';       '^  V*  Martin's  History  of  Louisi^ina,  vol.  ii.,  p.  1^^ 


.M 


^|J5 


-># 


CASA   CA£Vi6'  AFPOXiir^  €K)YERN0^ 


407 


RatAon  de  Lope^  y  Aogdlo  to  the  office  of  Intendant  in 
Lduisi&fia,  ^Ucli  he,  Morales,  had  filled  ad  interim  for 
t^fee  years  and  a  half,  and  c(»»idering  himself  no  longer 
capable  of  discharging  the  duties  of  his  own  office  of 
eontador,  he  begged  his  Majesty  to  allow  him  to  retire 
with  Bi3:ch  a  grade  and  pension  as  his  Majesty  might 
think  proper  to  favor  him  with. 

Oasa  Galvo,  a  short  time  after  his  arrival,  transmitted 
to  th«  Captain-General  of  Cuba,  who,  in  Ids  turn,  fois^ 
wardied  it  to  Madrid;  a  petition  from  several  proprietors 
of  landed  estates,  soliciting  that  the  unlimited  introduo- 
tioii  of  negroes  be  again  permitted,  which  Casa  Calvo 
recommended  as  being  required  by  the  agricultural  inte- 
rest. On  the  23d  of  November,  the  cabinet  of  Madrid 
answered:  "that,  permission  having  lately  been  given 
to  the  French  citizens  Cassagne,  Hugiiet,  Raimond  <fe 
Co.,  to  introduce  into  the  colony  five  thousand  negi'oes 
free  of  duty,  it  had  been  resolved  in  council  not  to  go 
farther." 

I  shall  dose  what  relates  to  this  year  (1*799)  with  a 
despatoh  of  the  Bishop  of  Louisiana,  Don  Liiis  de  Pe- 
nftlvert  y  Caidenas,  on  the  state  of  religion  and  morals 
in  the  colony.  "The  emigration  from  the  western  part 
of  the  United  States  and  the  toleration  of  our  gOvem^ 
ment,"  said  he,  "have  introduced  into  this  colony  a  gang 
of  adventurers  who  have  no  religion  and  acknowledge 
no  (jlod,  and  they  have  made  much  worse  the  morals  of 
our  peo|de  by  their  coming  in  contact  with  them  in  their 
trading  pursuits.  A  lodge  of  freemasons  has  been  formed 
inon^  of  the  suburbs!  of  the  city,  and  counts  among  its 
membei's  officers  of  the  garrison  and  of  the  civil  Admi- 
nistration, merchants,  natives  and  forei^^rs.  The^r  s€f^' 
cwit  iimeetiugg^  ^on  Mxed  days,  <m  Which  they  i)6r|bnn 
their^^f<Ka0ti<^-a»  well  a^^^^ 
this  assodation  a  sospiciona^nd  crinidnal  appearfmce*  ^ 


*M 


■# 


1 

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11 

■■i'^^^^fifi^ 

SK.K/'v 

(  'i^^^^^s. 

H^^ 

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mRw- 

j**  • '  *  wyijtt^jl^p 

—  '^  '^t^^Wml^^ 

WBBii? 

m^^m 

f'^j^pii^^^ 

'''■^^^ffil 

s'-y%ii^^iBXA 

V  'i  'fj^fKB^m^' 

f 

^WB^^ 

IHi 

ii  v-.  s 


«:,. 


ii 


„*^ 


-f 


40$ 


BISHOP  PBNALVEBt's  COMPLAINTS. 


"-The  adventurers  I  speak  of  have  "scattered  th^msiJlVes 
o'^'  the  districts  of  Attakapas,  Opeloussas,  Ouachita 
and  Natchitoches  in  the  vicinity  of  the  province  of  Texas 
in  New  Spain ;  they  employ  the  Indians*  on  their  forms, 
have  frequent  intercouree  and  conversations  with  them, 
and  impress  their  minds  with  pernicious  r-uaxims  in  har- 
mony with  their  own  restless  and  ambitious  temper,  and 
with  the  customs  of  their  own  western  countrymen,  who 
i|iare  in  the  habit  of  saying  to  such  of  their  boys  as  dre 
distinguished  for  a  robust  frame,  whilst  patting  them 
on  the  shoulder:  you  will  he  the  man  to  goto  Meanco. 

"Such  is  the  case  with  the  upper  part  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, with  the  district  of  Illinois  and  the  adjacent  terri- 
tories, in  which  there  has  been  a  remarkable  introduc- 
tion of  those  adventurers,  who  penetrate  even  into  New 
Mexico.  This  evil,  in  my  opinion,  can  only  be  remedied 
by  not  permitting  the  slightest  American  settlement  to 
be  made  at  the  points  already  designated,  nor  on  any 
part  of  the  Kio  Colorado. 

"The  parishes  which  were  reli^ously  disposed  are 
losing  their  faith  and  their  old  customs;  the  number  of 
those  Christians  who  receive  the  sacrament  at  Easter 
decreases ;  and  the  people  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  admo- 
nitions of  their  clergy. 

"It  IS  tme  that  the  same  resistance  to  religion  has 
always  manifested  itself  here,  but  never  with  such  scan- 
dal as  now  prevails.  The  military  officers  and  a  good 
many  cf  the  inhabitants  live  almost  publicly  with  colored 
concubines,  and  they  do  not  blush  at  carrying  the  ille- 
gitimate issue  they  have  by  them  to  be  recorded  in  the 
paK)chiai  registries  as  their  nat/wrcA  chUd^en^^ 

t  Arni^ii  SOS  cttserifu  con  los  Lidios,  tienen  oonfabnlAciones,  la»  imprin|i«n 
maximaa  prejudiciqrlca  cotiforme  i  su  eataeter  inquieto,  ambioto«(^  y  &  ik»  viticti- 
los  qae  obiiervva  •son  hub  paisUios  del  Oeate,  qdienes  tiesen-la  eostambredA 
palm«at  «1  homoldi  de  bus  niSos  quando  son  mily  roboatoB,  diciendol«R  yom.  W^jf^ 
to  Maeieo.  *  •• 


:m 


m, 


-ifrr--^=r=--^'M»^''^!^^-wttCcj5ao¥ajr    ^t 


ie  Ule- 
in  the 


oipnm«n 
loiB  vificu- 


# 


DESIGNS   OF  THE  i^MERIOANS  ON   LOTHISXANA.        409 

The  Bishop  goes  on  saying  that  the  magistrates,  whose 
doty  it  ought  to  be  to  give  a  good  example  to  the  peo- 
ple^are  tLe  first  to  violate  all  the  precepts  of  religion 
and  morality. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1800,  the  new  Intendant,  Don 
Ramon  Lopez  y  Angullo,  entered  on  the  duties  of  bis 
office.  He  was  a  knight  pensioner  of  the  royal  and  dis- 
tinguished order  of  Charles  III. 

This  year  had,  it  seems,  been  intended  by  Providence 
to  be  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  for  Louisiamt,  since  it 
gave  rioe  to  a  series  of  events  and  negotiations  which 
ultimately  terminated  her  existence  as  an  European 
colony,  and  raised  her  to  the  dignity  of  a  Sovereign 
State  by  her  incorporation  with  the  great  American 
confederacy.  This  new  pow-r  had  determined  on  the 
acquisition,  by' force  if  necessary,  of  New  Orleans  at 
least,  if  not  of  the  whole  of  Louisiana.  But  it  was  felt 
that,  to  conduct  this  enterprise  successfully,  it  was  indis- 
pensable to  refrain  from  awakening  the  suspicions  of 
Spain ;  and  therefore,  under  cover  of  preparing  for  the 
difficulties  which  might  arise  from  its  differences  with 
France  at  the  time,  the  American  government  had 
addfid  twelve  regiments  to  the  army,  and  hud  ordered 
three  of  them,  as  I  have  already  stated,,  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio,  with  instructions  to  have  in  constant  readi- 
ness a  sufficient  number  of  boats,  to  cany  down  the 
contjemplated  expedition  to  New  Orleans.  But  tlm 
plan  was  abandoned,  or  postponed,  on  account  of  the 
evident  determination  of  the  people  not  to  reelect  ae 
president  the  individual  who  had  been  at  the  head  of 
the  government  for  nearly  four  years.  It  waa  thought 
more  l^rudeni  to  leave  to  his  successor,  ^ho  would  cc»ne 
£^h  Irom  the  people,  and  to  the  unimpaired  vigor  of  a 
new  f^D^mstrtttii^^]^  management  Qf  so  lm|K)*rtant  li 


%•,-• 


it. 


t 


Mm 


ilO 


BONASABTE  AND  .LOXTIBIANA. 


Id  the  mea&timef  the  extraordinary  man  who  ruled 
thf  destinies  of  France  had  fixed  his  eyes  on  Louiaiana, 
which  he  resolved  to  acquire,  as  one  of  the  elementsvof 
the  great  system  he  had  devised  to  carry  to  the  highest 
degi'ee  of  splendor  the  commerce,  navigation,  and  manuv 
faetures  of  the  country  he  had  made  so  illustrious  hy 
war.  In  furtherance  of  the  views  which  he  hu  con^ 
ceived,  he  had  ordered  his  ministers  to  collect  from  all 
|tealuable  sources  the  imost  minute  information  on  the 
resources  of  Louisiana.  There  is  extant  ojri  this  subi^ct 
a  very  remarkable  m^mmV,  submitted  to  the  First  C  ansnl 
of  the  French  republic  by  M.  do  Pontalba,  who  had 
long  resided  in  thf"  colony  and  occupied  in  it  a  dis- 
tingnished  official  position.  He  gives  a  very  accm'ate 
topographic  description  of  the  Western  country,  and 
then  says  x>f  its  inhabitants :  '^  All  this  proves  that  the 
only  commercial  outlet  for  their  produce  is  the  Missis- 
sippi; that  Louisiana  can  never  cease  to  be  the  object 
of  their  ambition,  as  they  depend  upon  her  in  the  most 
absolute  manner;  that  their  position,  the  number  of 
their  population,  and  their  other  means,  will  enable  them 
to  invade  this  province  whenever  they  may  choose  ta  do 
SO)  and  that,  to  preserve  her,  it  is  necessary  to  conciliate 
and  control  them  by  keeping  up  intelligences  with  the 
most  influential  men  among  them,  and  to  grant  them 
privileges,  until  this  province  be  sufficiently  strong  to 
defend  herself  with  her  own  resources,  against  the 
tctfi'ent  which  threatens  her.  Should  its  waters  be^l^t 
loose^-  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  they  would  eweep 
e^ery  thing  on  their  passage  ;i  for  the  Kentuckians, 
sin^ie  handed)^  or  allied  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
neighboring  districts,  may,  ^  when  they  choose,  Bsach 
I9'ew0]^ean»>)(rith  twenl^or  thirty  thousand  men,  irani^ 
p<»t0d  o&'Iai^  flatboa^ »iMih <they  iffe  iiMih^M^ 
habit  of  coiiiBtracting  to  carry  their  produce^^i^^ 


# 


PQOfKALBAja  MEKOIB. 


# 


411 


ac<'  protected  by  a.  Wv  gnn^KMitsr  leaded  wil^  more 
prbvislous  tbaft  they  would  need.  Tlie  ra{adity  o£  the 
dmi'ent  of  the  Ohio  and;  of  the  other.  mei»  which  dis- 
(ihiUTge  tl^mselres  into  it,  makes  it  an  easy  undertaking, 
and  the'  paucity  of  their  "^ants  would  accelerate  ii» 
exectition.  A  powder  horn,  a  hag  of  btdls,^  a  nfle,  and 
a  Sufficient  provision  of  flour — ^thia  would  be  the  extent 
of  their  niilitary  equipment;  a  great  deal  of  skill  in 
shooting,  the  habit  of  being  in  the  woods  and  of  ^ndur^,4 
ing  fatigite— this  k  what  makes  up  for  every  defi-' 
dency. 

"-^^More  or  less  extraordinary  means,  in  accordant^ 
with  the  degree  of  importance  attached  to  Louisiana, 
must  be  resorted  to,  in  order  to  save  her  from  the  irr^ 
tion  by  which  3he  is  threatened.  Should  she  be 
appreciated  in  proportion  only  to  the  revenue  she  now 
yields  to  the  metropolis,  it  will  be  found  out  that  the  6 
per*  cent,  duty  on  ^^xports  and  imports,  which  k  the 
sole  oiie  existing  in  the  colony,  does  not  produce  on^ 
hundred  thousand  dollars  a  yefir,  and  that  the  annual  ^ 
eirpenses  o^  the  King  of  Spain  for  that  province  rise  up 
to  five  hundred  and  thirty-seven  thousand  dollars. 

*^  What  entitles  Louisiana  to  peculiar  attention  iis  the 
fii^t  of  her  being  a  port  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  where  iko 
other  power  than  Spain  has  any ;  but  what  gives  het 
still:  more  value,  is  her  position  in  rekticm  to  the  kinp 
d6m  of  Mexico,  whose  natural  barrier  is  the  Mis^ippi.^; 

^^  It  is-  necessary  to  make  this  barrier  an  impenetrabk 
dfie.  It  is  the  surest  means  of  destroying  for  eve?  I^e 
bdld  sehenies  with  which  several  individnais  iii  the 
United  States  aevei^  cease  ffllii^  the  mewspupfsmf^ 
deSiignatingiLoiB^tea  as  the  ^|fh  roful  i&tlie^  cca<^^ 
of  Mexic%particularly  ever  since  th^toqeiiiring  of  ydif* 

^l%e  iio^illii^Mii^^  ^to^^oMk  limits  between 


«t 


# 


m 


K 


I! 


0 

m 


''■'■* ! 

m 

■If! 


■"" 


:r 


m 


t 


p 


4ir 


NTALBA^B  MBUOm. 


the  United  States  and  Louisiana,  which  was  terminated 
in  1797,  proceeded  from  an  equivocation  in  the  treaty 
of  peace  of  1788,  which  equivocation  was,  no  doubt, 
purposely  introduced  by  England,  in  order  to  breed  a 
subject  of  discord  between  Spain  and  the  United  States. 
Otherwise  it  would  have  been  necessary  to  express,  that 
his  Catholic  Majesty  should  order  the  surrender  to  the 
United  St» .  «  of  the  district  and  fort  of  Natchez,  which 

e  then  occupied  by  right  of  conquest.  ■ 
"  When  England  possessed  her  thirteen  colonies  and 
part  of  the  province  of  Louisiana,  the  limits  of  Georgia 
being  marked  in  the  maps  as  running  east  and  west  from 
the  sea  to  the  Mississippi,  the  district  of  Natchez  was 
included  within  them;  but 'the  inhabitants  of  that  post 
having  represented  that,  on  the  appeal  cases  from  their 
courts,  they  were  obliged  to  resort  to  Georgia,  his 
Britannic  Majesty  declared  that  the  district  of  Natchoi 
would  henceforth  be  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Governor  of  Pensacola,  and  bff  incorporated  with 
Western  Florida,  which  was  under  the  government  of 
that  officer.  Li  this  way,  that  province  became  extended 
to  the  Chaterp6  line,  which  had  been  drawn  by  the 
English,  the  Chickasaws  and  Choctaws,  from  the  terri- 
tory of  Mobile,  at  135  miles  from  the  fort  of  that  name 
on  the  western  bank  of  the  Tombecbee,  to  the  Yazoo 
Biv^,  at  fifteen  miles  from  its  junction  with  the  Missis- 
sippi. So  that.  Western  Florida,  having  been  ceded  to 
hk  CathoHe  Majesty  by  Great  Britain  in  the  peace 
treaty  of  1788,  was  thus  transferred  away  in  all  its 
integrity,  smd  with  all  its  dependencies  at  the  time  of  the 
cession,  of  which  Spain,  however,  was  already  in  po»^es- 
sictti  by  the  right  of  conquest,  and  which  she  had  never 
a^eed  to  surrender.        >    m  v 

^^llie  Ei^kh,  in  the  same  peace  treaty  which  1&^ 
ocmchided  at  ihe  same  ?time  with  th^^^D^iited  States^ 


*  t 


■0 


# 


• 


^^' 


« 


«■'• 


VOVTAUBAJa  XXMOZB. 


4l:i 


abandoned  to  tbem  all  that  was  marked  in  the  old  maps 
a«  a  part  of  the  United  Provinces,  as  far  as  the  Missis- 
sippi) without  exueptirig  that  part  of  it  which  hU  Britaiu 
me  Ma^  jsty  had  ciready  detached  and  awnexed  to  Western 
Florida;  and  the  line  which  was  determined  in  that 
treaty,  by  running  i:  the  middle  of  the  Mississippi  to  the 
31st  degree  of  latitude,  surrendered  to  the  United  States 
all  the  east  side  of  that  river  as  far  as  the  spot  lying 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Red  Biver,  86  miles  below 
Natchez,  and  by  running  west  and  east  from  that  point 
to  the  river  St.  Mary,  left  to  them  all  the  district  of 
Natchez,  which  was  the  most  populous  portion  of  Louis- 
iana, thus  restricting  the  possession  of  Spain  towards 
Mobile  to  a  sandy  tenitory  which  did  not  extend  beyond 
six  miles,  and  reducing  the  country  back  of  Pensacola  to 
t  hirty  miles  of  barren  soil. 

^*  Ever  since  the  year  1786,  the  United  States  had 
aimed  at  taking  possession  of  Natchez  and  all  the  terri- 
tory which  was  assigned  to  them  by  the  said  treaty. 
Spain  had  constantly  opposed  such  pretensions,  and  had 
succeeded,  through  her  intelligences  with  the  western 
provinces  of  the  United  States  and  through  her  negotia- 
tions, in  suspending  the  hostilities  with  which  she  had 
often  been  threatened,  and  in  eluding  the  unfounded 
claims  of  the  United  States  down  to  the  yeai*  1797, 
Avhen  she  was  obliged  to  accede  to  them  in  order  not  to 
expose  herself  to  the  loss  of  the  whole  province. 

^'As  the  Americans  therefore  are  in  possession  of 
these  new  frontiers,  it  becomes  more  ui^ent  than  ever 
to  secure  a  barrier  for  the  protection  of  Mexico.  There 
are  two  ways  to  accomplish  this  object.  TheJbst  isi,,to 
estabMi^  in  Louisiana  a  population  sufficiently  lai^;  to 
defend  her^against  all  attacks ;  the  second  is,  to  lEBm  a 
union  with  Kentucky  and  the  other  districts  of  the 
Westwn€ountryj  witl^  the  oMigstlon  on  tiieir  part  W 


m* 


'^^ 


# 


'St 


^ 


414 


U 


FOUTALBA^S  XEIfOIB. 


serve  88  a  rampart  against  the  United  States ;  antl,  nnti] 
it  be  possible  to  execute  one  or  the  other  of  these  pro- 
positions, my  opinion  is,  that,  by  all  possible  means, 
peace  must  be  preserved  with  the  United  States. 

^'This  is  what  the  Spanish  Government  has  never 
ceased  doing  from  1787  to  the  present  time.  It  was  as- 
sisted in  this  policy  by  a  powerful  inhabitant  of  Ken- 
tucky, who  possesses  much  influence  with  his  countrymen, 
and  enjoys  great  consideration  for  the  services  he  has 
rendered  to  the  cause  of  liberty,  when  occupying  high 
grades  in  the  army  of  the  United  States ;  who,  from  that 
time,  has  never  ceased  to  serve  Spain  in  all  her  views  ; 
and  who  will  put  the  same  zeal  at  the  Command  of 
France,  because  he  thinks  with  reason  that  on  intimate 
union  between  her  and  Louisiana  is  more  advantageous 
to  his  country  (Kentucky),  than  its  present  relations 
with  the  United  States. 

"  This  individual,*  whose  name  I  shall  not  mention  in 
order  not  to  expose  him,  but  which  I  shall  make  known 
when  his  services  shall  be  wanted,  came  to  New  Orleans 
in  1787;  He  informed  the  Spanish  Government  of  the 
state  of  things  then  eidsting  in  Kentucky  and  the  ad- 
joining districts,  and  of  the  efforts  which  the  inhabitants 
of  thos»  provinces  were  making  to  obtain  their  indepen- 
dence and  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi.  He 
also  declared  that  there  was  a  general  disposition  amoag 
ithose  people  to  place  themselves  under  tho  protection 
of  Spain,  should  Congress  refuse  to  do  justice  to  their 
claims. 

-  ^Itison  that  refusfl  that  this  inhabitant  cif  ^en.tuc% 
had  founded  all  his  hopes,  and,  in  that,  cafie^.  he  had 
oifisri^  to  declare  himself  the  vassal  of  his  GathaLie  J4a- 
jestyt  fie  promised,  as  such,  to  give  information  of  aid 
thiat  the  inMbitants  of  that  region  would  tm^irti^loi^ 

*  0«n«ml  WilkiiiM& 


'^ife» 


^^"^ 


^^NTJ^XBA^S  MEMOIR. 


4 


•■  TT^ 


or  agaiiuit  LoQUiana,  and  he  proposed,  as  another  tneaus, 
io  promote  emigration  irom  the  Western  IKttricts  ad- 
joining Louisiana,  in  order  to  increase  onr  strength.  It 
is  with  these  dispositions  that  he  went  back. 

'^He  returned  to  New  Orleans,  in  1789,  to  renew  to 
l^e  government  his  propositions  to  employ  all  the  means 
in  his  power  to  procure  for  his  district  of  Kentucky  its 
independence  from  the  United  States,  by  forming  with 
Spain  an  alliance  exclusive  of  all  other  nations,  and 
actively  to  foment,  at  the  same  time,  emigraticu  to 
Louisiana.* 

"He  notified  the  Spanish  Government,  in  1791,  that 
his  hopes  of  success  for  his  schemes  had  vanished.  He 
attributed  the  cause  of  it  to  the  granting  by  Spain  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Kentucky  of  permission  to  take  down 
their  produce  to  New  Orleans,  and  to  sell  it  there  on 
paying  a  duty  of  16  per  cent.  He  pretended  that  the 
fertility  of  their  soil  amply  indemnified  them  for  the 
payment  of  that  duty,  and,  the  next  year,  he  wrote  that 
\\l  ideas  of  emigration  from  his  district  had  been  entirely 
v^ven  up,  ever  since  the  inhabitants  of  Kentucky  knew 
that  his  Oatholic  Majesty  had  declared  that,  for  the  fu- 
ture, instead  of  purchasing  annually  two  millions  of 
pounds  of  tobacco  from  the  emigrants,  he  would  take 
only  forty  thousand  pounds. 

"It  results  from  all  this,  that  Spain  conld  not  succeed 
in  gaining  over  to  her  side  the  people  of  Kentucky^ 
The  same  motives  have  stopped  the  emigration  which 
mighl;  with  reason  have  been  expected,  considering  that 
Louisiana,  which  contained  twenty  thousand  soulsain 

*  Tbk>  nQt«  is  to  W|i>imd«t  t^  bpil^m  o|  tli04?»g«  in,tlit«  «ri({(ooI  ipa^uwiapt; 
"Four  iiaum,  from  llM  to  1792,  preparations  wiere  made  id  fentaoky  iaird  Cnm- 
Verlindto  attaek  Louisiana,  and,  every  tiau^  tltiis  ii^e  I^K'^idoal  dauaed  #«n 
1^^tiii|m^«Jlu%ittflMaj(Mi,over  y*,«9unM^i9<9ff.  J,miki^-tb«sa  J^o^kfatm^  to 
<!idW  that  VvKite  must  not  neglect  to  enlist  this  individaat  iplblet  service,* 


.,jj,. 


ii 


% 


ik<i~ 


f^i 


«;$ 


416 


Sfl^'' 


P0I7TA£BA%  MBliOIB. 


1783,  and  forty-five  thousand  in  1792,  numbers  mw  mor*? 
than  seventy  thousand,  including,  however,  the  distrittf 
of  Natcheas,  which  was  surrendered  to  the  Anierican# 
in  1797.  ^j  " 

"The  individual  above  mentioned  gave  the  unwise 
advice  to  place  the  people  of  these  districts  under  the 
absolute  dependence  of  Spain,  by  preventing  them  from 
having  any  trade  whatever  with  Louisiana,  and  by  de- 
priving them  of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi.  He 
hoped  that  the  majority  of  the  Thirteen  States  would 
accede  to  it.  He  thought  that,  by  this  means,  it  woifld 
be  possible  to  check  the  excessive  and  alarming  emigra- 
tion^^^^om  the  Atlantic  States  towards  their  western  ter- 
ritory, and  presumed  that  the  inhabitants  of  that  terri- 
tory not  being  supported  by  the  Federal  Government  in 
their  pretensions,  it  would  then  become  easy  to  induce 
them  to  seek  their  welfare  by  throwing  themselves  into 
the  arms  of  Spain. 

"All  these  designs  have  miscarried  (and  indeed  it 
could  hardly  have  been  otherwise)  because,  instead  of 
opposing  the  pretensions  of  said  districts,  the  United 
States,  on  the  .contrary,  energetically  favored  them,  and 
addressed,  in  1792,  to  the  Court  of  Madrid  a  memorial 
in  which  they  represented  that,  unless  they  chose  to 
expose  themselves  to  losing  one  half  of  their  territory, 
they  could  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  continual  clamors 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  West,  who  solicited,  over  and 
above  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  the  posses- 
sion of  a  spot  on  the  lower  part  of  the  river,  where  their 
boats  might  discharge  their  produce  and  take  in  the 
goods  which  they  wanted— adding  that  should  this  place 
,  of  depot  be  fixed  at  New  Orleans,  it  might  give  liSe  to 
diSpulties  and  discussions. 

*'The  Congress,  by  such*  means,  secured  the  afifectioii 
of  those  pieople  to  such  im  extent,  that  it  became  nd 


ni' 


TQM^XA?  ba'?  lasmiM. 


lo»g9r  vpofi^ble^  to  tMnk  of  fonomg  the  iiiai^^^  al)ov€ 
uientdoQedf  altiliouglr^o^rii  c^rtamty,  ihat  western  popu* 
ktioji  would  have  been  the  happier  in  conseqneince  of  it 
SjMjdn  also  lost  all  hope  of  peopling  Lonisiana,  before 
conung  to  arrangements  with  the  United  States. 

'*]ii  Older  to  prolong  that  negotiation  (and  this  in^^ 
Wtely  soited  ^e  Court  of  Spain)  several  propositions 
were  m&de  to  Congress.  Firsts  it  was  represented  thatj 
on  account  of  the  delicate  situation  of  the  Western  coun- 
try, his  Majesty,  through  h;umanity,  had  granted  to  the 
inJiiabitants  therec^  the  imvilege  of  selling  their  produce 
at  iNew  Orleans,  and  that,  although  it  was  on  their  pay- 
ing in  kind  a  duty  of  15  per  cent.,  yet  this  was  mpre 
advantageous  than  if  they  resorted  to  direct  exportation 
by  sea,  sijjce  they  sold  for  eight  dollars  at  New  Orleans 
a  barrel  of  flour  which  cost  no  more  than  three  doUara 
at  Monongahela,  and  since  the  ships  that  might  come 
through  the  Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi,  in  order  to  take 
that  produce,  would  pay  for  it  a  much  less  price ;  but 
th«^  in  order  to  do  away  with  all  pretexts  for  any  con- 
traband trade  and  with  the  discussions  to  which  it  nngh^ 
giye  rise,  his -Majesty  permitted  tke  free  navigation  Of 
the  Missiisip^  to  the  inhaHtants  of  t'ae  Western  countiy, 
who  might  v&ify  cause  to  be  constructed  on  their  rivers 
schooners  or  any  oth^er  eraft,  in  which  they  might  trans- 
port their  produce  to  the  ports  of  the  United  States  or  to 
such  harbors  of  the  foreign  colonies  as  may  admit  it. 
This  proposition  was  rejected,  and  the  United  Stittes 
pea'slsted  in  demanding  the  opening  of  the  Mississij^irto 
the  American  ehips^  and  the  possession  of  a  post  at  a 
coni^nient  spoton  ike  bank  of  that  river. 

^/pbib  aegott^dsbn  was  agaitt  prolonged  by  new  pit^ 
siti^lfiMHSuch  as,  the  one  opening  the  river  up  to  th« 
Plig[pi«aku]ie  TlEii^^^^  miles  firom  t4e  BftUie, 

provided  ike  ships  dbould  not  load  from  the  banks  of 

27  ,^ 


M, 


4'^\ 

'i:    ' 

'I  iifl 


I  I 


M 


I  m 


:X 


5,« 


i 


«r 


'"'^^ 


418 


m 


;jyjf;S^ 


"rr: 


i    KorrjUAABkJfBMOIB. 


the  river/but  from' those  flatboate  in  which  th»  Western 
people  carry  their  producCj  and^  which  .mighty  eouve- 
niently  come  up  to  the  sides  of  the  shipoi./^  ? 

"As  Congress  refused  to  abate  one  jot  of' their  pre- 
tensions, Spain,  in  order  not  to  lose  more^  foimd  hefself 
compelled  to  grant  them  the  free  navigation  ef;the<tiver ; 
ondj  instead  of  conceding  to  them  the  post  which  they 
demanded,  consented  to  their  being  put  in  possession  of 
the  above  mentioned  territory,  which  theyickimed 
under  their  treaty  with  Great  Britain.  This  was. done 
in  l'?97,afterthepr0longed  negotiatJ(Hi  I  havedesciil?ed. 

**  Now  that  the  Americans,  in  consequence  of  these 
transactions,  7)ossess  more  than  eighteen  hundred  nules 
of  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  from  the  diet 
degree,  in  front  of  the  mouth  of  Red  River,  to  t>'^42d 
degree,  it  becomes  more  important  than  ^ver  fes^'  ,*fj;'le 
the  Western  side,  which  is  better  susceptible  of  n.  „ :.  .oas 
and  flourishing  establishments  such  as  New  Miidrid^  the 
banks  of  the  St.  Francis,  the  Arkansas,  the  Ouachita, 
and  Red  River,  together  with  the  posts  of  Natchitoches, 
.Attakapas,  Opeloussas,  &c. 

"All  these  districts,  on  becoming  populous,  might 
defend  the  province,  by  easily  concentrating  their  forces 
at  the  point  where  it  might  be  required  according  to 
circumstances.  The  lands  watered  by  these  rivers  iare 
the  most  fertile  in  America,  and  afford  us  room  £[>r  the 
finest  establishment,  which  would  be  of  an  immense 
extetit,  and  which  would  be  contiguous  tO' the  Mngdom 
of  Mexico. 

"l^ese  were  the  points  which  the  court  itf  Spain  was 
afraid  of  stodtdng  with  population  cm  fttoouni  of  the 
neighborhood  I  hav^  mentioned,  and thsreare  eadtiant  in 
-the  ar<^ivesiiof  IxmiBiana  the  most  pre^^drderoJtot 
to  |lerniit  the  establishltient  of  any  teiily  (sm^^Kiliiiar 


f^ 


^  ■ 


^<gM«%i^^V'ixBlittm. 


b  *>,(. 


ysM^oi  ^ 


HitiTe  is-tfae  :iiiost  direct  4H>in 

m^w  Biiiit^  do  not  extend  t^on  the  eaati 
ljcjy6iid  ike  &lst  ^«gree,  »ti?d 
j:«^M%Mfeli  fe  tMrty-6ix  mSes  below  IfatcbeZjiaariJie^;^ 
ali^^wtjF  sdid  a'feo's^.  '  But,  nMwithstaadiHg  thi»t  the. 
TOi^  States  <aainot  Iboktipoa  the  GhibkasaWyiChoc- 
taw,  Albaattoiii  imd  Crt)ek  naiaoos  as  belonging  to  thcm^ 
be«^W  these  ^Ktions,  who  are  entirely  devoted  to  nsV 
b@^ided  that  they  have  always  leoeived  presents  firom 
Gf  eat  Britain,  as  the  proprietor  of  Florida,  have  renewed 
the  soft  of  dependi^nce  to  whi6h  they  have  subjected 
ttonselvesiii- exchange  for  the  protection  ef%ainvi  At 
#Goiigress  which  the  government  of  LonisMina  hdd-  M 
May,  l'r84,  at  Pensacok,  with  the  Creeks^  and  in  J^ws^ 
at  Mobile,  mth  the  other  nation^  there  was.  a?  treaty 
made  tothat  effect  in  thirteen  articles^which  treaty  wi»i 
alfehrards  approved  by  the  court.  ?      ^    u 

**M^lf6ited  States  will  answer  to  this^r^^lWi^li^  aUsja 
haive  n^e  treaties  with  the  Chickasaws  and'  Ohoctawait 
Hoi^W^  *tid  Seiieea,  in  1786.  ^t  those  pretended 
ti*ate  ire  iti&a^inarjs^aid  mdlr    '    '  -^ 

*<^€te^fhe  1^  of^e  ©hickasaw^j  a  cLl  4  T^fe^ 
mimber  of  warriors,  came  to  IlopwcU;  andoaiyiaBine 
©hd^aw  cMfefe^Mihe  only  wies^^b  had  not  di^ia'ieh^d 
^  thftfe"  English  medals  to  the* Spanish  goveraiiaKit^, 
amtB  lib  <  Bfenedae-*!!  of  them  witihotA  any  powers^  ^fib&aa 
th€ijfe-i^|>ective  nations.  This  is  what  th^  aamas  ohiefe 
wh^  they  i^ice^diHiie  ^to  g^  ^^^ 

cl^fe  difeapproyed  d»o  the  act  i)f  the  aboVd  m6a^^3abS 


■^ff'i 


# 


«' 


•i 


#     m 


.ttr. 


FON^MiBA'S  VSiWm^ 


i> 


Til  i 


^  i 


:»» 


**It  is  crery  Impo^ftQt  that  tkiB  Afotesaid  nfttibifi  fe* 
maift  tinder  ^e  protection  of  Fraticey  in  the  sapie  wn  j. 
they  were  under  that  of  Spais,  because  they  sea-v^  ;as  a 
bamer  against  the  United  States,  on  a  spalce  0f  rane 
huiidred  miles  which  it  would  be  neeessitiy  to  go  '^ver^ 
through  those  nations,  in  oi<der  to  come  iiti  Ishat  dii!«»<> 
tion  from  the  provinces  of  Ge<»gia  and  Qouth  GaroMna. 

"  I  do  not  doubt  biit  that  the  Americans  would  oppose; 
with  all  their  power  the  extending  of  the  prelection  ^. 
France  Over  those  nations^  as  they  have  always  oj^tosed 
Spain,  by  sending  commissioners,  eveiy  year,  t^  endeavoir 
to  detach  those  Indians  from  her.  They  never  could 
suc€>eed  in  these  attempts.  They  could  onlytgam  aver 
to  their  side  the  Indian  chief  of  whom  I  ha^e  spoken, 
with  the  m&Di  of  Ms  village.  None  others  allowed  them- 
selves to  be  persuaded  by  the  letters  which  were  written 
to  them  by  the  minister  of  war,  Knox,  by  Dr.  Franklin, 
and  €  J  by  General  Washington.  They  delivered 
those  letters  to  the  Governor  of 'Louisiana  in  proof  of 
their  fidelity;  but,  as  it  may  be  possible  that  the  United 
States  shall  Ihink  proper  to  use  force  against  them^  and 
ad  it  is  against  the  law  of  natioiis  to  prevent  i^ese  people 
from  choosing  their  protector,  justice  nnd  the  interest  of 
France  reijuire  that  she  should  offer  them  her  assistance 
according  to  the  exigencies  of  the  ease. 

**  Should  even  the  United  States  undertake  to  form 
establishments  on  the  terHtory  of  ihe  aforesaid  nations, 
as  they  have  already  attempted  it,  it  is  not  doubtM  but 
that  "^ose  natibns  would  oppose  it  with  all  their  mighty 
and  that  they  would  call  in  the  aid  of  the  got^em»)mt 
of  ]x«iiman%  wMoh  ought  then  to  assist  l^m  witi^  all 
itsloneesi,  in  dirder  not  to  risk  iKhe  loss  of  ao  essentiiil^ 


"Tb.ose  nations  have  always  been  drapoeed  to 
by  force  all  attempts  to  invade  their  tettitory.    f 


'* 


ft. 


■«* 


^^Rf  ^" 


^qKm|x#:A.8  Mxnotm 


k> 


m 


wlui>t'>£nioceii]Ted  between  tlieOh^okeee,  the  Creeks, 
the  •  Talapottclies  and  tiie  United  Stateer:  the  Indian«)i^ 
tilflinied  for  their  Hnxit  the  Comherland  liver,  the  lAme- 
ricans,  thci  Okony.  It  is  foi*  this  cause  that  they  have 
been  constantly^^  a:t  war  until  1791,  at  which  iime  the 
ha^breed  Alexander  McOiMivray  was  caEed  to  New 
Yoi^  by  president  Washington,  with  divers -Greefe^ 
chiefe.  ^ey  then  filmed  a  treaty  of  peace,  whit^  the 
nation  refused  to  ralify,  because  McGilUvray  had  ceded 
m^retenitoi^  than:  his  instructions  authorised  him  to 
do.  /ilt  was  even  contrary  to  the  thirteen  4tptin>l?*i:0sf  the 
treaty  wet  had  concluded  at  the  congress  held  at  ^en-^ 
s^eola  in  1784,  with  the  Creek  nation.  ^^ 

5*  The  cession  made  by  McGilHvray  gave  up  to  the 
Americans  a  considerable  portion  of  the  best  limds  of 
the  Creeks,  who  opposed  it,  and  have,  ever  sirice,^  con- 
stantly opposed  the  taking  possession  of  those  lands  by 
the  Americans.  France  ought  to  assist  them  in  their 
resistance,  and,  to  do  so  successfully,  it  would  be  proper 
that,  on  taking  possession  of  Louisiana^  tho^IV^eh  go- 
vomment  should  call  together  a  congress  of  Ihfkt  nation 
at  Pensacola.  Although  such  an  operation  would  'Ibe 
explosive,  on  account  of  the  presents  which  it  is  the 
custom  to  give  the  Indians  (»k  radi  oceasicma,  und  be- 
cause they  ai'e  to  be  supplied  with  provisions  whHst  they 
stay  at  the  place  where  they  have  been  Unveiled,  and 
on  their  way  back,  still  such  a  measiu'e  is  indii^nsablei 
In  this  congress,  the  French  Governor  will  iHK)w  "What 
influMice  has'been  retained  by  McGilHvrayf  over  ^loie 
pQO|i^  fio&oe  1^  treaty  whidi  they » dkafypvoved.  '^^  ^He 
will  tni^  them  feel  how  mueh  n^ore  ^idivoirtageous  to: 
thek  n  the  protee^on  oi  Wtsia^j  which  they  iy(ve'>not 


?■  Epa|«lb.*  h«dt^e«ii  it)  th«;^plo^,<>f  Spain. 
f  It«Miq|i  that  ModilUVrajf'rdeal^  ^bloH  6c 


m  llp6,  bad  not  roa 


^$ 


'<^ 


E\./.. 


[ 


■■«ft 


•I     4 


-[ 


^ 


ip 


mmJik}XA%iWgmak 


fm'g^tt»^ymiL  4^  oi  the  United  Sla*es,^wli0  itiiil  it 
nothing  «^e  than  invsdiiig  tliek' lands. 

^f^0^4CbQctaw8t  and  AlibninQtis,  fg^eiR^  ih9 
convened  in  congress,  wiUi  ask  foe  one  in  tb^ii?  I^n^  wit 
^tnll  be  indispensable  to  grant  it)  isT^xrderta  clieckt^ 
constant  efforts  made  J^iihe  United  States  te^^^^^^^ 
Sfnem.  from  the  goyemment  of  Iioai8iim%to#£a^  i^ 
they  fed  considerable  affection,  and  nnde??  tlie).$toteQ|«9zi 
ol  whi^h  th^y  have  always  been  placed,       «»* . ;  w  ^i  i 

*f[I>Qriiig  the  Frwieh^  domination,  the  Qm&m^  M 
Lonisianft  used.to  ccafivene  a  Congress  oi  thosit  nuitions, 
every  year  at  Mobile.  The  consequence  ia,  th»t  thehr 
old  men  speak  of  that  time  with  grateful  remembxfifDiQe, 
and  those  people  will  see  the  return  of,  their  former  pro- 
tectors with  a  satisfaction  equal  to  the  umbrageiyi^hi^ 
'4he  United  States  wiU  take  at  it. 
;.?*  Notwithstanding  the  advantages  which  the  An^teri- 
cans  have  obtained. by  the  establishment. 4^  the  limits 
above  designated,  there  is  a  circumstance  which  w^l 
always^  keep  the  inhabitants^of  the  West  in  the  depend- 
enee  of  Louisiana,  and  which  wiU  render  their  eimgration 
to  it;  advantageous  to  them,  although  the  lands  they  now 
possessore  of  extreme  fertility'— and  that  is,  the  dilfi- 
oulty  \,^hich  they  experience,  on  account  of  the  ^distance 
at  which  they  are,  in  exchanging  their  produce  for  the 
commodities  they  want^  although  th^y  have  the  free  use 
of  the  navigation  of  the  river,  because  the  most  valuable 
produce^  they  have  for .  sale  is,  ihw.  tobacco  md  flmuv 
wltt©h  do  not  fetch  A  M^  price  ^^theAt^ 
so  that  the  iaihabitants  of  the  W^t  would  be  ^ig©d^  to 
giip^e  tiie^  »!ray  ahaa^  foavsjaothiiig  to  ^<ase  sldp  twhioh 
^uld^come  tc^j^  Jli^#i[^||i  9^^ 
^^eprci^, would  fSskU  short  of  the  expenses  of  fittliig  up 
li^|cfe.«hip&. ,  ;Beside3,.tlie:B0ellei»  ;;woi^^ 
m^:  any  merehanfe  in^change  J?r  'jm^'^^o^i^iM 


^Mt 


*■• 


# 


# 


aleMft  of  ^ihe  oon^erftl^  coist  to  wliic^  "^^iwduM  be 
pttf  m  '^drd«r  'to  tiake  tbem  tip  the  MiBsisBipin  and  the 
C^ffyfiki^  We  eighteen  bimdred  Attd  ninetywiiine 
niUefi'  fh}m  tbe  post  of  Plaqnemine,  which  is  sitaated 
f htjp^  Biiles  from  the  mouth  Of  the  MiBfaBdippi,  to(Loiiifi- 
yi^hK;-' #hMti"i#  iihe  ftrst  estal^hment  m  Kmitmky. 
6o&ii)3ttit)icatio&  by  knd  is  still  less  practicable,  ab^Ujgh 
sboirter  by  half*  Bo  that  the  only  course  to  be  pmmied 
b^  the  inhabitant  of  Kentoekyy  is  to  sell  his  prodace  to 
tnO  ^jiieiican  ships,  payable  in  specie ;  next,  to  go  him- 
self to  Philadelphia,  there  to  buy  the  commodities  he 
may' want^;  then  transport  them  three  hundred  miles  by 
laiid  to  iSD^t  Pitt ;  and  thence  convey  them  home  by  Si 
navigation  of  seven  hundred  and  five  miles  on  the  Ohiow 

'**'Evide4itly  it  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  any  farmier 
eidiUld  undertake  such  a!n  operation,  and  that  imy  mer< 
chi^t  of  the  Atlantic  coast  icould  speculate  on  the  pro- 
duct of  the  West,  when  the  trade  is  subjict  to  such 
difficulties.  Therefore,  how  much  more  advantageous  is 
it  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  West,  to  settle  10w6r  down 
on  the  SGssissippi,  or  at  least,  to  form  a  union  with  Ix)id- 
siaiifti,  hi  o*d«rto  have  the  privilege  of  selling  their  pro- 
dude  to  the  1>est  advantage  in  New  Orleans  ? 
^^^"Thaje  circumstances  are  very  powerful  motives  to 
ii^4ticfe  the  inhabitants  of  Kentucky,  Whose  example 
TVduld'iBhortly  be  foHowed  by  those  of  the  other  WeslJem 
diMets,  to  separate  themselves  from  the  IMted  States 
in  order 'to*^ibtkU  ati  alliance  with  Pranee|  under  ^e  pb- 
ligationof  their  deeding  Louisiana  in  case  of  an  attaek 
from  the  ITnitea  States. 

^Jljs'Spfdn  hail  granted  them  all  that  they  have  asked 
i(^;M^sis  it  is  to  be  presumed-^at  they  will  ongag^^ 
nOhoistili^,  FraxiOelHll  have  time  to  mature  tHssel^mie, 
a^^^it'fihibii^  \i^  ikHo  hftve  time,to 

convlifete-^etnseivesllit  theiy'cannot^^  haj^y  and  jwos« 


W^- 


m 


PONTALBa's  HEMOim 


t 


■^' 


If- 


perous  ei^er  Witibont  this  aUiAtloej  of  withou§^<^e%oii 
quest  .of  liouisitma.  Either  one  or  ihe  other  .oifUteae 
events  is  coiamanded  by  the  nature  of  thfe  country;  t  It 
is  for  France  to  provide  for  tiie  one,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  other.  To  succeed  in  this,  it  is  necessary  to  employ 
atnan  who  should  appreciate  the  importance  of  success, 
as  well  33  the  situation  of  those  Westan  provineeft  in, 
relation  to  Louisiana  and  the  United  States,  and  wh0 
should  renew  the  intelligences  which  the  <70vemment  <# 
Louisiana  had  with  the  individual .  of  whom  I  have 
spoken.  ..    •'■-oh-  ■  ■  :■.■■■*■■■:-. ^■;;    ..;«vJ 


'W-«  ■■  ■  -ft'-,'t». 


/'  Whilst  attending  to  the  execution  of  this  pmjeet^  it 
would  be  of  the  greatest  importance  to  employ,  ttt  "the 
same  time,  extraordinary  means  to  people  Louisiana,  so 
that  she  might  ultimately  defend  herself  with  her  own 
resources.  Should  this  be  accomplished,  the  desisted 
alliance  would  become  less  necessary,  perhaps  even  use^ 
less  for  France,  and,  on  the  oonti:ary,  would  be  solicited 
by  the  above  mentioned  districts. 

"  At  first  sight,  it  seems  dangerous  to  people  Loui^ar 
na  with  aliens^  but  its  singular  position  in  relation  to  th% 
inhabitants  of  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  is  sudii,  that  it  ma^ 
be  considered  as  their  honie;  for  it  may  be  set  down  as^ 
an  axi(Nn,  that  it  would  be  easier  for  tiiese  inhabitants 
to  invade  liouisiana  from  those  distiict^,  than  to  rebeil, 
if  they  w€^e  settled  within  its  limits-*-with  t^is  (M^er^ne^ 
in  the  ^toase^  that  invasion  Tfrould  be  to  them  a  soui^ 
ofglory,  and,  that*  nvhen.  embarking  on  the  Ohio,  being 
favored  by  the  rapidity  ctf  the  current,  they  would  pp;^ 
rate  a  junction  of  their  forces  in  Louisiana  before  i|  lif 
loiQWA  there  tiiat  they  ha^  formed  any  such  4^0^  > 
ifln^t  having  once  enn^ated  and  being  received  among 
u%  with  a  proQiise  of  ii<i§lity^on  their  pa|i^  tothe  ^^pu]|? 
4%,ihpsid  w]]ip  should  me^tate  a  rising  co^ld  not  capi^ 
their  Scheme  tiutoe2;^(wtion  without  its  being  i^npwi^  h#- 


t 


Vfj|puM:4tA^s  iqaietB. 


435 


^^ttadf  a&d^  ioitead  of  l^iiqiiiriog  the  lnofek  wMoli  imiy 
be  itrpn  1  in  legiti&iate^warfatto,  would  expose  themselves 
to  the  igiiiOBiinloas  death  of  traitors.  Beside^  it  is  not 
tO'he  preiKiiB#d  that  those  peofple^  who  ha\re  lived  under 
a  precarions  government  whidi  did  not  protect  therm, 
trhpihave  been  incessantly  apprehensive  of  dangemfrom 
Inc&m  hiostiUties  and  deprived  of  every  sort  of  com- 
merce, may  become  ncfaithfol,  when  th^  shall  be,  by 
the  operation  of  their  own  free  will,  established  mider 
£«iother  government  that  will  protect  them*  secnre-an 
outlet  tofr  their  produce,  abstain  firom  exacting  any  tax 
lifom  them,  and  settle  their  diffei*ences  without  intermed> 
dling  with  their  domestic  ^iffiurs,  or  with  their  religion. 

^  Ab  s^on  as  by  such  means  the  affection  of  the  first 
generation  shall  have  been  secured,  the  succeeding  ones 
will  of  course  know  no  other  country  than  the  one  in 
which  they  shall  have  been  bom,  and  it  will  then  be  left 
to  the  wisdom  of  government  to  imprint  on  the  tender 
and  impressive  hearts  of  youth  the  true  senti'^ents  of 
patriol^m  and  justice^ 

M  ^cl^-ino*iv8S  determined  the  king  of  Spun,  in  1790, 
to  cause  to  be  sent  to  the  Governor  of  Louisiana  asufl^ 
cient  qiM^tity  of  provisions  to  enable  him  to  receiveittQ 
the  emigrants  that  should  come  firom  the  aforesaid  db* 
tricts.  He  authorized  that  officer  to  nu^  concessions 
of  land  to  them,  and  divide  those  settl^nents  into  is^t^ 
eein  mile  districts,  in  the  centre  of  which  th^e  shpuld 
be  a  church,  a  house  for  the  commandant  and  an  Irish 
dur&te^  but  with  instructions  not  to  disturb  them  i^  the 
eit^Ercxse  of  their' religion. 

'^M^  chief  f^m.  tfi  to^  Indicfite  the  m^ans  c^^peoplmg 
Loty^a^ie^  ^  frin<ni>alk<if  n^^  aa^  the  pi^ichasoiol  aill 
the  tobacco  1^  be  raiaed  bf  lihe /8n»g*9^ 

seem?to  be  exi^^al^  let  tha^  p^^gge^tion  bv  a^i|> 


:# 


■•'f. 


* 


-  'X  A- 


^^u^^ 


f  K»t«ALB4'8  MXHOm, 


«^ 


* 


bated  tty^O  fOAfiotion  ia>whi<^  I  nm-^>^^^Auiik  Ltkti^Lna 
im^^^of^Amm^md  theMftxro  ctf  tho  faighett  im-' 
p6Tttt&o«.  r  In  tMs  re8f)«et^  «h0  h$iti  fot^B  long  tittie  pagt, 
beMI  thwotjeot  of  the  ambition  o€  the  IMted  Ststteffl^ 
tiiuit  ^Jieynrtyiild  be  cieopfy  c^Bgosited  if  they  mw  her  pass 
iiito^  the  hands  of  so  pr«fM)iic^ratifig  a  povrer  as  Fratfee ; 
attd  they  would  have  invaded  her  long  agO:  if  they  hilid 
fbreseen  such  tai  event. 

^'Ilie  pi^irehaseof  ^hetobaocoTMsed  by  theemigraatift' 
eoald  not  be  bardensoime  to  Franoe. '  >  ^ain  nsed,  b«fot# 
the  war,  to  buy  annually  two  millions  of  p6tinds  of  tb^ 
baiiioo  at  N^w  Orleans,  althongh  she  <$onsuttied  biit  little 
of  it. 

<*f  teaow  in  the  most  positive  manner,  from  informa- 
tioh  given  to  me  by  the  officer  who  is  personally  intrusted 
with  this  administral^n  in  Spain,  that,  after  reserving^ 
i^  siidy  thousaiid  pounds  which  >  are  sufficieut  forthe 
ooRSUmption  of  Spain,  because  s^e  uses  none  but- Ibn' 
ra^peie/'Sikieexported  tiie  rest,  every  year,  to  Holland  and 
l^rance,  aid  that,  according  to  the  returns  df  the  bilH  of 
sai§s,^thcf  'royd  treasury  was  greatly  benefited*' by  that 
o|HM%tioxi.  This  circumstance  induces  me  to  propose 
^Ms^^means  as  the  one  which  promises  to  be  the  most 
sm^^^Ad';  without  being  onerous  to  the  republic. 

"***The  crops  t»ftoba^1co  made  by  said  Inhabitants  wer6 
bbi%Mt,1tt  t^90  and  1T91,'  at  the  rate  of  8©i  per  pomid, 
by  th^i  Sptti^h  ge^ernment;  which  derived  consideraMe 
|M^  #oi]ir%;  knd  tikos^  hihabitiuits  were  thems^es  so 
#€1  Ittlft^dMti*  that  1^  #dtild 

deem  titt^^eilves  exceedingly  happy  if  the  govDmiftentr . 
^itrtilM#bttf4^  Ma(&^ii|tt^fti!^t»f  tobaccd  atsii^^ 
ii^i^  df^^.  <'Sh6Q]l^4  b^^^etidedta^lbur  niili^^ 
of  i^iMdB^/yeM^i%'#^^  to  attraet  a  good 

^' ttf  Ijo^i^^ii^  ;^fbr;  fi^^  iE^ 

>ol  Maceo  idt^t6^t>idy  ^fiii 


>i 


m 


o^wistaiio^  coaviiioeg.im»  that  the  piiMluMe^4ifthisv«rtiole 
bjp^th^  gaveromea^  would  poii^rAi%  oQn^bate  to 
iiioif«i»0'^  popoJatioit  of  that  fMtrt  of  Louiinana*  ^  h^ 

^^Frapoe  wiU  easily  find  an  outlet  Ibvtiidae  fofir  nil- 
IJMPIr^jf  pomidf  of  tobacco,  eoauderiog*tiMt,4l'4fifNBa 
made  moDiey  bjr  the  «fi«ffa«ion  wh«n  die  paidieig^^eetits 
per  pound,  Fiance,  paying  only  tix  cents  fi»rihe>aaii[e 
aFtiele,  would  aell  it  cheaper,  andwonkl  '^erefoire  iteUy 
£iod,  not  <^y  a  home  market,  but  also  one  in  Holland 
andin  Spain. 

,4^  It  would  not  be  necessary  fS^r  fVanee  to  make 'any 
adroncesta  accomplish  this  object,  because  she  might 
enter  into  an  arrangement  with  Spaing  by  whiek  that 
power  wouW,  annually,  send  $240^000  from  Vera  Oruz 
to  Louisiana,  to  be  reimbursed  to  her  in  Europe  after 
iihe  sale  of  the  tobacco  by  France.  This  arrangenient 
would  be  equally  advantageous  to  Spam,  because  she 
would  receive  that  sum  without  risk,  with  alittle  delay, 
to  be  sure*— but  that  delay  would  be  com^petuated  by 
the  saving  of  the  costs  of  troni^rtation^ 

^^'Shouldthi^  measure  be  adopted,  it  would  beoome 
necessary  to  establish  regulations  determiiung'l&e  quan* 
tity  of  tobacco  to  be  bought  firom  every. new  8ettl«>,  in 
tl^/^ay  in  which  it  was  ^ene  by  the>  %>aiBieh  gl^era- 
ment.  Such  was  the  {^n  which  it  ft^owed,  and' whi^ 
wasintermpted  by  the  war<  ^    . 

/^ The  commercial  intercourse  granted  by  the^l^^'te 
the  InliabitantB  ef  Louinaiia,  all^ugk^^^a^lad  ta^^^ 
posts:  ef  B^'Anoe  and  of  her  colonies  in  tmieof^ace^^itDd 
extBftdbd  ta  tbe  potta  oif  the^Dmted^^iMieis&jtimeef 
waryillf^iUy  sil^eiettt  ixjkp^oi^  1^iat>^)s^6it6e  iritli^ 

^h»me  at^  eonvdieniiae  ^  of  it  lbi»d#  way  to  ti^e  0O#d^  o^  flii  k^^twn 


s^.. 


L;P.:>''.' 


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merchandiae  o£  which  she  may  stfwid  in  need,  and^ 
procure  an  outlet  for  her  commoditiefii,  with  the  oxoep- 
tion  of  her  tobacco,  which  the  royal  treasury  usedtlto 
purchase,  but  it  is  not  sufficient  to  promote  a  rapid 
inetease  of  population.^ 

M.  de  Pontalba  then  goes  on  with  an  enumeration  di^ 
all  the  means  best  calculated  to  attract,  in  a  short  time, 
a  large  number  of  emigrants — among  which  means,  is 
the  grant  of  free  trade,  if  possible,  with  a^^  the  nations 
of  the  world— -and  says,  that  the  duty  of  six,  per  cent, 
which  is  the  only  one  hitherto  levied  by  the  government, 
would,  in  that  case,  on  account  of  the  development  which 
the  resources  of  Iionisiana  would  require,  be  soon  amply 
suffiment  to  cover,  and  more  than  cover,  the  five  hundred 
and  thirty-eeven  thousand  doUai's  which  are  the  expenses 
of  the  present  colonial  administration. 

"The  means,"  says  he,  "which  have,  so  far,  been  used 
to  people  Iiouisiana,  instead  of  being  onerous  to. the 
public  treasury,  have  turned  to  its  advantage;  but  what 
would  be  a  still  more  powerful  lever,  would  be  .the  ap- 
propriation of  three  millions  of  francs  to  be  loaned  in 
the  Western  country  in  this  way:  to  every  emigrant  one 
hundred  francs  to  j&^Bilitate  his  voyage,  and  to  provide 
for  the  first  expenses  of  his  establishment,  on  condition 
that  this  sum  shall  be  reimbursed  in  three  yeai's,  the 
head  of  every  family  and  the  last  surviving  member  0% 
it  being  responsible  in  solidoj  and  should  this  suni  Isna 
advanced  tO;  unmarried  men  (provided  they  be  laborers 
and  not  vagabonds),  four  of  them  would  be  required  to 
become  parties  to  this  obligation^under  the  same  condi- 
tions. Th&  woidd  provoke  emigration,  and  I  doubt  not 
t^%tin  4es8;  than  twoxyeaiis,  that  .sum  of  three  mipons 
of  francs  w^uld  thus  have  been  employed,  and  would 
hare  prdciM^  thirty  thoi!^  ^^®  JS®*?* 

ment  may  rest  assured,  that  there  would  be  no  loss;  qj^ 


M 

^P' 


#- 


VWfiUMAJB 


424) 


hat<d9y  any,  in  this  operation.  I  do  not  piention  the  im- 
mense profit  which  would  sabseqaentAy  accme  from  tlie 
increase  aS  dirt^  on  imports  and  exports^ 

*^'1he  emigrants  from  Kentnoky  and  the  adjacent 
districts,  being  active  and  indastrions  farmers,  wonl^, 
when  leaving  their  country,  where  they  have  no  outlet 
fbr  their  produce,  sell  their  lands  to  come  and  deal* 
better  ones  which  they  would  get  for  nothing,  in  a  pro*, 
vii^ce  where  the  gov»  rnment  secur<  s  to  them  a  lucrative - 
sale  of  the  fruits  of  their  indastry.  Not  only  would 
they  be  prompUy  in  a  sitaaticn  to  liberate  themselves, 
but  they  would  cause  the  g  vernm  it,  bj  which  chey 
would  have  been  enticed  away  an  i  protected,  to  feel 
the  effects  of  the  easy  circumstance  )  which  it  would  have 
secured  to  them» 

**This  is  not  all.  After  liaving  granted  to  Louisiana 
all  that  might  be  in  her  power,  France  would  still  Lave 
done  nothing  for  her,  if  she  did  not  give  her,  as  governor, 
an  honest,  frank,  just  and  good  man,  who,  by  his  ^on- 
ciliating  temper,  would  gain  the  affection  of  the  inhabit- 
ants!. Thoy  are  of  a  mild,  sensitive  an^^  remarkably 
grate^l  temper.  The  statement  of  one  f&ct  alone  will 
be  sufficient  to  show  how  much  I  ought  to  insist  upon 
this  point. 

"  After  havin^i  .^  ae,  in  order  to  remain  French,  moxe 
than  it  was  then  permitted  to  subjects  to  do,  aft«r  » 
having  seen  the  solicitations  of  their  delegates  rejected 
by  the  oouit  of  France,  the  inhabitant^  of  Louisiana, 
after  having  deliberated  among  themselves^  oame  >o  the 
rei^olution  Of  relying  on  nothing  else  than  their  courage 
-^which  was  the  sole  resource  remaining  to  wem.  The 
r^idt  Iras  the  exptdsioiik  of  the  SpainiA^  Govejcnor, 
'Moa.      ■ 

"CSeilly  amvefil  mth  an  army.  He  had  caused 
himleM^to  Wp^e^e^by^j^^  o^  peace,  <tf  indigence, 


'4- 


% 


I* 

V  » 

1 


^ 


#v 


m 


?tff 


# 


m 


I 


I 


if  S   I 


\h  I 


»    -1  -Jf*- 


Is 


»    i 


''SMlS^MXiBA^B^-Mt^HSoaL 


and  fdi^gistliikiesff !  f>£  the  pftst?-  The  coldi]^,  :^<u\- 
i^biied  ^by  the  mothef  ^ecmiitryf  thought  tfaat^iWjr  ife»e 
iio  lofiLg^r  bound  to  flurai)  and  ppesei*v:#ft>r ;  har  ^e^^iiE»ve 
which -die  rejected.  Th&fg&ve  themselves  up  to  the 
hope  of  an  endurable  condition  nnder  a  new  maoter^aAd 
xecei^ed  him  without  remstance.  O^ReiHy's  conduet "ifi 
but  too  well  known.  It  exasperated  fevery  hearty  and 
caused  the  new  domination  to  be  abhorred. 

"The  €ount  of  Galvez  made  his  appearance,  and 
inspired-  the  public '  with  confidence ;  for  he  was  dis^ 
tingt^hed  for  the  affiability  of  his  manners.  *he  sWie^ 
ness  of  his  temper,  the  frankness  of  his  character,  thd 
kindness  of  his  heart  and  his  love  of  justice.  Receiving, 
in  1779,  the  ndwsi  of  the  declaration  of  war  against  the 
English,  he  convened  the  colonists  around  himi  s^iaet 
them  who  love  me  follow  where  I  lead,"  said  he  ^  and 
the  next  day,  fifteen  hundred  Creoles,  among  whom  were 
many  heads  of  families^  gathered  round  hiin,  and  were 
ready  to  march  to  l^e  enemy. 

*'  The  I^lish  were  attacked  before  they  knew  thftt  an 
expedition  had  been  formed  against  them,  and  allth^ 
establishments  on  the  Mississippi  were  carried  sword  in 
hand,*  before  the  artillery  which  was  following  us  wfu^ 
half  way  on  the  road  to  its  destination.  These  are  the 
men*  of  Louisiana^  who  aret,:  undoubtedly^  well  wotthy  of 
returning  to  the>'bosom*  of  France.  What  is  it  that  can- 
not fee  expected  'from  them,  when  they  «hall'  be  under 
the  inftnenee  (^  the  great  n^n  who  is  gomg  to  iMi^^re 
^id  go¥«rii  iiduisianalV  ^^r«&»^"     *^^^^  (^;    -       ♦' 

^i  Aft^ -jgoing  iiKtp  itke '  expocotion/  oi?  i^^  ^isfyim^e 
tti«atMreii  whi^iaxe  to  be^  adopted  for*  t^ 
Loufisiam^,  M.  de  Pontalba  thus  resumes  his 

if'.    .'; ■>  ■..,  ,■-    ■:      ,;  ."^         .  ■  .,   ,     :  '        .,     A-.-  ,  :  ■   . ':^-.r (*:''■■    .: 

*  Tlii*  in  not  correct*  the  fort  4  Bi^toii  Bonge  ]l*Til|i||  ^ifi^^mbwrdf^i^ 
flftrri«d  oAly  by  the  artiQery.    Se«  pi|*  120  of  thiii  VDnifabl: 


f 


# 


bli^  Hem 

ap  ta  tKe 
la^terjaad 
tsoadt^  4& 

ranee,  -faid 
B  was  di»' 
the  swft<H>» 
iractefj  1^ 

agaiiist  tlie 
lim;  r^iaet 
Id  he;  and 
«f  horn  were 
i,?  and  wei© 

aewthftt  an 
ad  all  thek 
d  aword  in 
ring  ns  wfi^ 
lese  are  the 

itvthatcan- 
lybe^  nnder 
to^q^mve 

■  .*<  .■ 
,*,  , 

0 .  4feft«»ve 


>serv#|^: 


0fos!miB£s^.:3fme3fm, 


m 


'^- 


^^J^mmii^m  iBSkyhe  called *©  the 

ni^l)^  briHianl  de!9^es«  \/hat  «  series  of  ^prospeiities 
49^  pot  promke'  to  her  the  prependeranee  of  the .  re- 
Jtobj^ipi: :  Alld^^^^ 

Ik^^e  nietaK>polisl  To  seeure  thig,  aU  that  is  neoesh 
8^!^  j%  to  adopt  ft^  proper  (K)mbmation  (^  all  1^  metns 
^wMeW>oagllt  to  make  her  pK)spferoQe. 
-  *^  No  situation  in  the  naiTers©  offers  so  many  advantages 
aa^bers^-and  what  remains  to  do  r  is  to  know  how  to  tise 
tlieoii^Mlli^  fertility  of  her  imatense  territory,  the  abtm* 
dance  of  her  rich  agricultai»i  pnodaets  which-  now  seoore 
t^;thjd  planter  an  interest  of  26  tper  cent,  on  the  capital 
invested — ^these  are  her  least  adivan^iges. 

'  ^*:^ew  Orleans^  lAe  capital  of  Lonisiana,!}'  the  only 
outlet  for  the;  most  fertile  of  all  countries,  ike;  extent  c^ 
wliich  in  length  exceeds  si^  l^ousimd  mileSj  and  the 
pt^ralation  of  which  marches  onward  with  gigania^e 
strides.  That  towa  must,  of  course,  serve  as  a  plact  ef 
(UpS$  for  the  products  of  tiiat  immense  country. 
:"i|rance  holds  in  her  haads  the  key  of  Mexico  when 
sh^  possesses  Iiomsiana,  sincei  her  Sutlers  on  ih#w^t 
side  of  tkeldlsfflssippi  extend  beyond  Natohitochetto^^ 
gates  of  St^  jAntonio,  whichiis  adependency  of  Mesif»o<^ 
■>  i^^The  effeminate  people  that  oocu{^  4&e  more  than 
fifteens  hundred  ■■  miles  of  territory  whiek  lie  between  ^^at 
point  and  Mexico  would  easily  l;^cnni»  the^p3?e|r  iof  ^^ 
first  X  invader  who  «hould  present  himseiJI  <  evefir  t^^tith 
modejate  forces.  But  Spain,  when  cedii^  Loidwciiiiito 
France^  rightly  sees  in^^h^  naoght  >bnt.;a  pioteoti^w^ 
is  more^qapablei  than  «he  isi6f<  guarding':Me^ao>ttgaia[M} 
the  pV4iBi<»i  "^P^tii  vdneh  Jthat  .leoittitry  <  ig^  tkraatened ;  >lRad 
a  9if|(icMe  retttm  aiift  ^mi^^gaa^hr  iMai^^ 

£fae6KdfofMenco. 


*■ 


*'. 


♦ 


t 


^'*lv  ^. 


;4" 


m 
m 


t. 


%' 


m 


m 


<  <. 


vonnAfjiA^B  ]ci$tt#il; 


I 

si 


M-^r 


?! 


I' 


I 


a  • 

•-f  ' 


>*  8|i«in^  fey  thia  meftns,  would  remove  aiiy  temptalaoii 
that  JVance  miglit  have  of  invading  Mexico;  fdr  it 
becomes. nioi'e  advantageous  for  France  to  trade  with 
that  oonntiy  through  Louisiana  than  to  acquire  its  posses- 
sion. .Now,  should  Louisiana  eiyoy  the  privilege  6f  fi?ee 
trade  both  with  France  and  the  Me^can  provinbeSj 
what  portion  of  the  earth  would  be  more  highly  favored  ? 
Where  is  the  province  that  would  offer  so  many  advan- 
tages? From  every  part  of  the  world  there  would  be 
thereto  a  rush  of  men  led  by  ambition  and  the  desire  of 
bettering  their  condition ;  and  less  than  ten  years  would 
be  ^niO&cient  to  people  that  province,  so  as  to^  make  her 
formidable  to  her  neighbors. 

"The  western  districts  of  the  United  States,  which 
are  now  tenanted  by  individuals  of  aU  nations,  would 
soon  be  deserted,  and  would  retain  only  such  of  their 
inhabitants  as  should  not  be  able  to  find  lands  in  Louisi"^ 
It  is  then  that  these  people  will  hasten  to  detach 


■•fi 


ana. 


themselves  from  the  United  States,  fmm  which  Nature 
has  separated  them  by  a  chain  of  mountains^  and  will 
solicit)  if  not  their  annexation  to  the  Republic,  at  least 
their  independence  under  the  protection  of  France.  All 
that  is  necessary  for  this  is,  so  to  favor  the  inhabitant 
of  Louisiana  as  to  make  him  love  the  government  that 
protects  him,  and  to  render  precious  to  him  the  domina- 
tion that  makes  him  happy;  then,  both^iis  interest  and 
ihclination  will  urge  him  to  defend  that  government  and 
donunation. 

"  Almost  all  the  Lonisianiaus  are  bom  Fl'eiiehj  of  ai<i 
of  French  origin.  It  is  with  rage  in  thdff  hearts  that 
they  lost  th^  nationality,  and  although  the  truly  pa- 
ternal dominatioa  of  the  King  of  i&paim  hm^  ever  mam 
an  h(^oraMe  catastrophe  on  the  takmg  posseadJiOi& 
provinoeiby  O'Beilly,  secured  their  k^i^aesB, 


■■•r 


il 


it<  vlilui  pi?e8«rred  them  £rom  similai^  disasteirs  to  those 
whidi  h^vi^  devastated  St.  Domifigo,  still  it  is  xdth  6n^ 
thiifigutsm  that  they  would  again  become  Freneh,  if  th6f 
hs^i  no  apprehensionts  as  to  the  organization  to  be  est^- 
blif^ed  among  them  in  relation  to  the  blacks,  whos0 
emancipation  wonld  destroy  the  fortune  of  all,  annihilate 
all  the  means  of  existence,  and  be  the  presage  of  the 
greatest  misfortune.  ^!.  t 

''Louisiana  cannot  dispense  with  the  slave  trade.  The 
excessive  heat  prevailing  during  the  five  months  in  which 
the  hardest  works  are  to  be  executed  on  the  plantations, 
does  not  allow  the  use  of  free  and  white  labor  and 
renders  the  blacks  indispensable. 

"The  enterprise  of  the  inhabitants  has  been  checked 
for  several  years ;  otherwise,  the  number  of  the  blacks 
would  have  considerably  increased.  On  hearing  the 
news  of  the  St.  Domingo  insurrection,  the  negroes  made 
an  attempt  to  follow  that  example.  Tliey  were  repressed, 
and  their  ringleaders  punished.  The  authorities  then 
thought  prudent  to  prohibit  the  introduction  of  that 
kind  of  population  into  the  province,  in  order  not  tp 
augment  the  number  of  slaves  untH-the  restoration  of 
peace.  This  measure  has  saved  the  colony,  because  the 
activii^  of  the  colonists,  the  great  advantages  they  have 
derived  from  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-cane  foir  thfe 
last  five  years,  would  have  induced  them  to  increase -the 
number  of  the  blaoks  to  such  an  extent,  that  they  wotdd 
not  have  been  able  to  keep  them  in  subjection  and  would 
have  become  their  victims.  ' 

"Since  timt  time,  the  number  of  whit^  who  have 
been  attraoted  bythe  prosperity  of  the  provinod  hte 
inoreiiBed  »o  mi^,  that  the  govemm^t  liid,  for  &-y^ 
past,  lH'^oked  tiie  preeeding  measiure.  hx^  oiaif  in  telka^ 
tio^to  t^  n^gio^  G<Muing  diroctl^  from  AMa^-       '^^ 

■■i:-   ■•'■       ■-■  ■■■•-■■..         .-■.:. -..28.  ■■  "-  ■/--     ^'^  .     :. 


i- 


t 


Mi)-;! 


WW' 


■%^ 


4B4 


vomAjaiA%  ^qacoiB. 


*^it  is  apparent  that  any  iiuiov^tioik  operating  agaisBt 
tlie  dlave  trade  ^ystem  w^Mild  .uderjoune  the^vei^Ji^ 
dations  of  the  prosperity  of  the  colony^ 

^'The  inhabitaat  of  Ix>ui»iaDa,  if  mad&  easy  on- this 
point  and  in  relation  to  the  impoFtBimd 'the  duties  to 
be  paid  thereon,  would  giye  hatf  of  his  hlood  to  fee  re- 
placed  under  French  domination,  and  woidd  shed  ^  the 
last  drop  of  the  remaining  half  to  defend  that  domi' 
nadon. 

"The  facility  with  which  man  can  supply  his  wants 
in  that  colony  is  such,  that  two  horn's  of  daily  labor  are 
sufficient  to 'procure  him  all  the  means  of  existence^  Th? 
necessities  of  life  are  satisfied  with  hardly  any  la-puble  lor 
expense.  Several  districts,  such  as  those  of  Attakapas, 
Opeloussas  and  Natehitoches,  furnish  the  colonists  with 
thousands  of  heads  of  cattle— so  that  an  ox,  weigh^ 
from  seven  hundred  to  eight  hundred  pounds^  costs  ao 
more  than  four  dollars.  Flour,  comes  frcMn  the  western 
provinces  of  the  TJnited  States  in  such  abundanee,  that 
bread  is  not  higher  than  in  France. 
i^^^^^The  crops  of  rice  and  corn  are  so  abundant,  that  the 
average  price  of  a'  barrel  of  rice  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty  pounds  is  from  four  to  five  doIUirsi  and  that^  of 
com  from  forty  to  fifty  cents,  and  this  ife  what  constitutes 
the  main  food  of  the  planter  and  of  his  negKoes.  Every 
sort  of  game  and  fish  is  so  plentiful^  that  they  searc^y 
fetch  any  price  at  aE  An  exception m^usti  be  made  ^ 
to  wagies,  which  are  very  high.  It  is  the  ease  with  ev^r^ 
newly  settled  country  in  which  p(^ulati(^  has  not  yet 
become  dense. 

^^The  produotB  of.  thifi  province  4toni^  of  ^TSigar,  indigo, 
tobaceo,  e<>tt«to,  rice,  >corn^  miBe^  essenee^iooiamon  lurs, 
timber,  board^^»  pUmlE^  9hh;i^leSj  aad  bjla^^  the  &r 
vana..sogar.:.A;  ■■'^('■■■':  ■:i--^.'^  ■/■r-'^-i./i.,--*'-  ;■;....;'.,--, 

"The  want  of  success  in  the  cultivation  of  indigo, 


># 


JBik 


■  '%»,■ 


* 


m. 


poirriiLBA^s  listfotit. 


iU 


#li«fre'  tlie  pftey  of  ioaeetB,  ^be  dtnall'Testiltft  dbudned 
fr^  aiiy  oilier  agiicTdttirid  labor^  ba^e  determined  tlie 
planters  h  ti^  again  the  Experiment  whieb^  had  pre^'. 
otisiy  failed^--that  of  e^blishing  sngar  cane  pkntations. 
Fonbferly^  there  uras  oonraderable  difficulty  to  be  sni* 
nioulited.  It  had  always  been  thought  that  winter  was 
a  grifiiat  obstacle  to  that  culture.  Experience  has  proved 
the  contr^y. 

'**The  st^jar  cane,  which  requires  in  the  West  India 
islaaids  eighteen  months  to  reach  its  perfect  mati^ty^  i»? 
fit  for  nse  in  Louisiana  in  seven  months.  It  begins  to 
spring  up  in  March,  tO'-Jirds  the  end  of  the  winter,  and 
is  cut  at  the  end  of  Octobf  r. 

"The  impression  was,  that  the  pknters  would  have, 
for  the  manufacture  of  sugar,  no  more  time  than  the 
month  of  November  and  part  of  December^  when  the 
witttier  should  happen  to  be  mild,  because  the  canesr 
wohld  be  spoiled,  if  frosted  when  standing  in  the  field. 
To  obviate  this  danger,  it  would  have  been  necessaiy'- 
for  the  inhabitant  who  occupies  fifty  negroesin  plough^i 
mg  his  land,  in  planting  and  weeding  his  canes,  to  have 
four  nulls  and  more  than  two  hundred  negroes,  to  e«ifc« 
and  grind  them  before  the  setting  in  of  winter*        ••  / 

♦^Notwithstanding  this,  the  planters  M  not  gi**®  way 
to  discom'agement,  and  experience  has  demonstrated 
th{£t  the  sugar  cane  which,  at  St.  Bomin^,  -becomes^ 
souis  two  days  after  its  being  cut,  contihneff^acMEHid  4it^ 
Louisiana,  when  cut  down  and  covered  with  its  stobl^le 
on  the  ground;  until  it  be  mann&ctored  in«omigar.'i  il^^ 
ia  an  invaluable  advantt^,  which' s^<$ire««  the  smtam-M.- 
BUgttr  i^tates  in  lAuisiana^  and  is  theetroae  Mi^ 
vatkm  Ji^this  province/has  beoonoter  as  lioiteat^ttMl^olt 
indu^i^-^i^^?*^  m  mxKhhxiijp9Mmmi^fisi^^ 
nnp6^t«nt  colonies. 


Ay  f'^ 


P'  <>it 


ix^'  imanoxJ^ 


m' 


^Itis  ki  1795,  that,  with  a  small  gang  df  thirty  nie* 
groe6,  the  first  sugar  pkntatioii  w[>4  esl^ablMi^d,  e^d  with 
such  success,  that  th^  jndindu&l'i*  ?.lio  had  mtt^  the 
aadertrikiug,  sold  his  crop  of  hpowtt  f  ;?gnr  to  the  Amisri- 
cans,  in  17^6,  fm-  twelve  thois^ayrd  dollari. :;  The  quiiiSi^ 
of  that  su^^sir  was  found  i»t  least  equal  to  tha!  6f  MiB^rti* 
jpique.    Tlii3  was  enough  to  eXcite  the  emulation  of  aS' 
the  planteiH  who  had  some  meanp,  bo  mUch  so,  fchat, 
notwithstanding  ihe  difficulty  of  procuring,  in  time  of 
war,  sets  of  kettles- -notwithst'^ ding  the  pi-phibitlon  of 
the  introduction  o{  iiegroess,  which  checked  the  increase 
of  cultivation,  there  are,  to-day,  more  than  sixty  ^ugar 
estates  in  Louisiana,  which  produce,  annually,  four  mil*^ 
lions  of  pounds  of  .sugar,  which  yield  from  twenty  td^ 
twenty-^ve  per  cent,  on  the  capital  invested.  *     j 

"This  sketch  is  sufficient  to  give  an  idea  of  th«  pro- 
gress which  this  branch  of  indust^  is  destined  to  makey 
as  soon  as  the  colony  shallenjoy  the  blessings  of  peacfe* 

"The  districts  of  Atfcakapaa  and  Opeloussas,  situated 
at  one  hundred  and  seventy-four  miles  from  New  Or- 
leans, on  the  banks  of  the  Teche  and  Vermillion,  which 
lie  on  the  right  side  of  the  Mississippi,  are  of  an  immense 
esf^nt,  and  the  sugar  cane  succeeds  there  as  well  as  on 
the  river,  and  also  in  the  Lafourche  district  and  others^ 
/  "The  indigo  would  be  one  of  the  most  advantageous 
products  of  Louisiana,  if  it  could  be  cultivated  sudcess- 
ftilly;  but  it  is  exposed  to  so  many  casualties,  that  it 
has  been  abandoned  by  most  of  the  inhabitants.  Thus, 
this  crop  which  rose,  some  years  ago,  to  teee  hundred 
^  thousand  pounds,  has  been  reducsd  to  one-third,  and  the 
cultivation  of  that  plant  diminishes  every  day,  sincie  the 
#iablishment  of  sugaif  phmtations.  But  the  impresabi^ 
%  that  th^  sugar  cane  de^rc^  the  iuseots  ^hich  afe 
nomous  to  the  mdigQ^  and  a  piece  of  land,  which  has  jBdt 

*  Jdftn  Etienne  Bor6. 


^M 


i&d  with 
iftde  tbe 
B  Ameri- 

>f  Marti^ 
on  of  aifl 
so^  tMat, 
time  of 
bitionof 
}  incTease 
Kty  Sttgar 
foupmil* 
weBty  to 

the  pfo- 
[  to  makcy 

of  peacfe. 
3,  sitmateti 

New  O^ 


WK« 


4 


on, 
L  imnicAise 
veil  ad  oil 
adotbeiPBi 
aiitagetons 
d  sn^esB- 
,  that  it 
.    Thns, 
hundred 
d,andthe^ 
Bincie  tlife 
ptmAon 
hich  ttis 
shliaifi* 


VOJSPtJLiAXQ  M^OIB. 


|J||;  ailongtime  been  used  ibr  the  cnlttration'df' the  sugar 
c^ne,  may  with  stiecess^  it  is  thought,  be  turned  over  to 
the  cultivation  of  the  indigo.  This  article  goes  directly, 
in  tinieii  of  peaoe^  to  the  ports  of  Franc  %  and  can  go  ilo- 
where  elsei  It  is  there  that  it  is  always  sold  tb  the  best 
advantage.  It  is  worth  from  seven  to  nine  francs  the 
pound* 

"  1?he  district  of  Natchitoches  is  the  only  one  which  is 
addicted  to  the  cultivation  of  tobacco  ever  since  the  dis^ 
trict  of  Natchez  belongs  to  the  Americans,  when  the 
new  demarcation  of  limits  took  place  in  IT 97.  The'*  ,* 
qvuMQitity  of  tobacco  thus  produced  rises  to  two  hundred 
thousand  pbunds.  In  time  of  peace,  the  greater  portion 
of  it  is  exported  to  France,  and  the  rest  to  Vera  Cruz 
and  Campeachy. 

"The  exportation  of  cotton  from  Louisiana  does  not 
exceed  two  hundred  thousand  pounds.  This  branch  of 
agricultural  industry  is  profitable  enough  (since  the  in-: - 
vention  of  certain  mills  to  sepaifit.;  tne  seed  from  the 
silk)  to  justify  small  planters  in  consoling  themselves  for 
not  having  sufficient  forces  to  go  into  the  plantkig  of  the  -%'■■ 
sugar  (Suae.  w 

."That  cotton  is  very  fine,  but  the  silk  is  short,    lb  ' 
time  of  peace,  the  whole  of  it  is  sent  to  France,  whei?e 
itisiiQ.  doubt  used  to  better  advantage  than  anywhero 
else,  since  it  sells  there  better  than  in  any  other  countiy. 

"  fJ^eregoes  out  of  Louisiana,  annually,  more  than  on<^ 
hoAi^ivd  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  fura,  cottsistitig  ptin*-' 
cipaHy  4>f  deerskin.  Bear  and  beaver  ddns,  tdgether  with' 
the  hides  of  wild  beeves^  and  particularly  ftirs  ofifitte 
quality  a^e  comparatively  scai?ee.  They  meet  with  a 
ready  sale  in  the  ports  of  France. 

"  I^Ouk^ana  su^pHes  St.  Domingo  with  a  groat  deal  6f- 
timbeTt  p^Anks,  shiiigleBj  b^       essences,' ice.    She  <saii^^^ 
not  ^ell  them  at  so  low  a  pnc^  lii  ^  Amei^iis.,  becafuise 


M 


•■■«j» 


m 


m 


'i>si^HiV 


^^^' 


m^Mmx^a  ^m^mdm^. 


wagesaT^  twice  as  high  tb«%  w  in  th^IJmted  Btot^ 
iMcaose  also  the  quality  of  ihci  woo4  l^^eing  hai^doPt  ?^ 
(jmrea^more  laboFf  and  because  the  Toyiigea^ooki JjooIs- 
Ijiina  are  lotiger. 

'^Nevertl^lessj  it  is  evidenttbat  it  is  more  adv#iita- 
geous  for  St..  Donungo  to  be  8up|>Ued  with  timbcor  Jtpn» 
Louisiana  than  from  the  United  States.  In  the  ftrat 
place,  t^e  quality  is  infinitely  better ;  in  the  nextj  the 
Amcericans,.  when  introducing  cargoes  of  tiinbea*  into  the 
French  colonies,  carry  also  thither  a  great  quantity  of 
,  dry  good%  manufactured  either  by  themselves,  or  by  the 
English,  and  take  molasses  in  return  to  the  amovnt  of 
only  one-half  of  their  exports,  as  the  other  half  of  the 
return  caigo  is  always  in  specie,  whUst  the  vessels  com- 
ing from  Louisiana,  far  from  draining  St.  Domingo  of 
specie,  bring  a  good  deal  of  it,  in  order  to  purchase  their 
return  cargoes,  which  consist  of  _goods  of  French  miftnu- 
faeture,  and  also  of  'vines  and  eatables.  The  shipownei^ 
are  .satisfied  with  a  slight  profit  on  the  timber,  which 
covers  the  expenses  of  freight.  The  cargoes  of  timber 
are  a  mei|P^  pretext,  because  every  vessel  sailing  with  a 
cargo  of  this  nature,  valued  for  instance  at  fifteen  thou- 
sand livres,  comes  back  from  St.  Domingo  with  af  cargo 
of  merchandise  worth  three  or  four  times  as  much,  and 
everybody  knows  that,  with  every  cargo  of  timbei^  there 
goes  in*  contraband  a  sufficient  quantity  of  dollars  40 
pay  f^r  a  return  cargo,  and,  if  those  ships  had  not  this 
olgect  in  view,  their  timber  cargo  would  :be  an  insiaii- 
cdent  cooperation  to  induce  them  to  undertake  siKifa 
i^yaget.  This  trade,  which  has  been  inteiri^ted'sini^e 
the  Twar,  will  t£^e  more  extension  und^r  the  donuniitiicm 
(^France,  when  the  e:q>0i^ttoniof  specie;  shall  no  longer 
be  ^x)ybilted.  ^    >  -      v 


f  Th«  «q)oi^|ttipn  :of  .sp«4ie,&«m  Loulabitf  l«^ 


% 


* 


m 


^JamA^B  laatom. 


m 


M^9P&9  trade  vHdi'«ompietiJ[iostBhipB  in  Louisiana  is 
tlifit-<)'f!)03Ees,iritfa  wUeh  this  proviiuje^fapj^iee  the  island 
of  Oab^  HaTana  alone  consumes  two  hundred  thousand 
sngiir'boxeS)  which  constitnte  about  My  cargi^.  Those 
bt^es,^  ^at  fl%  cents  a-picce^  give  to  the  planters  a 
revenue 'of<me hdi^dred ihonsand dollars ;  totbe carriers, 
a»  mtioh  fot^  the  f!^eight ;  and  to  the  merchants  engaged 
inthait' trade,  a  profit  of  iwenty-fire  thousand  dollars. 
This  is  not  all.  It  must  i^o  be  taken  into  consideration, 
that  there  is  not  one  of  the  vessels  employed  in  carrying 
those  boxes  which  does  not  smuggle  into  Havana  a 
eertaun  c|^iuuitity  of  articles  of  French  manufacture,  and 
which  does  mot  return  to  New  Orleans  with  twice  the 
value  of  its  cargo  in  specie,  doubled  as  it  is  by  the  pro- 
fits of  the  sale  and  freight. 

^*  These  sugar  boxes  were  formerly  made  at  Havana 
with  the  cedar-wood,  which  is  very  common  there.  But 
Spain',  since  she  possei^ises  Louisiana,  has,  in  order  to 
favor  her,  permitted  her  to  supply  the  island  of  Cuba 
and  the*  ol^er  harbors  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  with  the 
boxe»  required  Idr  the  sugar  crops ;  and  sin(^  that  per-* 
misido%s(«ii  bo^es  are  no  longer  made  in  the  Spimie^ 
establishments,  where  the  quality  of  the  wood  being, 
much  harder,  they  cannot  be  furnished  so  cheap  as  by 
Louisiana. 

^. if  ^e  moment  has  not  yet  come  to  iiisist  upon 
obtainihg  l»r  Louisiana  from  Spain  the  grant  of  a  froe 
trikde  with  the  harbors  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  France 
O|^hti£ot  lit  least  to  give  up  the  eugar  box  trade  with 
HavUna,  which' Louisiana  now  e^joySi  Since  her  cession 
to  Spionj  more  than  thirty  saw  mills  have  been  con- 
skueted  near  New  Orleans,  on  the  banks  of  the  l^si^ 
8lTn^'-t&'«lst;>p|7tet  trade,  imd  these  saw  inill^  should 

ial^^oiiutI^>w9iil4  l»$eome  vi^ueleSK 
3«  ooiiM^l»:Ii}iilif#£udd^  fi^ht 


m 


:'A^i 


! 


,J- 


( 


PO" 


^ 


m 


VqifTUXjaA^B  MBMOtB. 


of  all  tlievossels  which  trade  with  Havana,  and  it  would 
therefore  deprive  this  ccdony  of  a  preoioua  commercial 
resource. 

"It  was  to  reward  the  iuhabitants  of  Iiouisiana  for 
the  seal  they  disphiyed  in  1779  and  1780,  when  they 
conquered  under  General  Galvez  the  English  settle- 
jnents  on  the  Mississippi,  and  the  towns  of  Mobile  and 
Pensacola,  that  his  Catholic  Majesty  granted  them  the 
privilege  of  free  trade  with  France.  His  Majesty, 
should  he  be  reminded  of  this  fact,  would  not  come  to 
the  harsh  conclusion  of  depriving  them  of  so  interesting 
#a  branch  of  conmierce  as  the  supply  of  those  sugar  boxes, 
of  which  they  have  been  in  possession  for  the  last  thirty- 
four  years — ^that  is— ever  since  they  have*  been  under 
Spanish  domination.  The  benefit  which  accrues  from  it 
to  the  inland  of  Cuba  deserves  also  some  consideration. 

"About  ten  thousand  barrels  of  rice  are  annually 
exported  from  Louisiana  to  St.  J)omingo  and  Havana. 

"  The  chief  resource  of  the  province  of  Louisiana  is 
the  money  which  is  spent  there  by  the  government  for 
the  pay  of  its  agents  and  officers.  Five  hundred  and 
thirty-seyen  thousand  dollars  are  annually  sent  to  New 
.Orleans  from  Meidco  in  three  ships,  which  arrive  at  a 
re;  ^lar  interval  of  four  months.  This  sum  is  divided 
among  so  many  persons  employed  by  the  government, 
that  each  one  consumes  what  he  receives,  so  that  it  soon 
goes  into  the  pockets  of  the  farmer  who  feeds  him,  and 
of  the  merchant  who  supplies  his  other  wants.  The 
whole  ends  in  finding  its  way  into  the  coffers  of  th^ 
merchant,  who  supplies  the  farmer,  whose  crop,  besides, 
is  generally  insufficient  to  pay  his  debts  to  said  m^- 
chant. 

"Iliis/ sketch  demonstrates  pretty  clearly  that  Louisi- 
ana, still  remains  a  burden  to  the  mel^opolis,  siuiCse  the 
atmual  disbursements  of  Spain  to  keep  up  t]^t  colony 


■#•■ 


:h 


-M. 


r:' 


irnKTAJMA^  lUBMOlB. 


411 


itncmntf  to  rouf  himdi^  and  tbirty-Mven  thousand  dol* 
)»{%  over  and  above  the  revenue  derived  thi'ough  its 
custom-house.  From  that  sum  there  may  be  deducted 
one  hundred  thousand  dolliH^,  which  are  uselessly  spent 
at  Pensacola.  There  remains  a  deficit  of  three  hundred 
and  thirty-seven  thousand  dollars,  which  the  succesH 
idone  of  sugar^making  in  the  colony  justifies  the  govern- 
ment in  the  hope  of  being  able  to  cover  in  a  few  years, 
as  soon  as  a  general  peace  shall  permit  the  slave  trade 
to  be  resumed,  and  as  soon  as  the  government  shall  take  * 
it  in  hand  to  people  Louisiana.    «  .:  .    j.  . 

*'  These  are  about  aU  the  aiiddes  of  exportation  which 
are  supplied  by  Louisiana,  in  retnrn  for  the  objects  of 
importation  which  she  receives  fi'om  France  in  time  of 
peace.  There  may  be  added  to  the  above  statement 
about  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  in  return  for  the 
commodities  which  are  smuggled  from  Lojoisiana  into 
the  harbors  of  the  Giilf  of  Mexico ;  and,  in  time  of  peace, 
it  ift  the  commerce  of  France  and  St.  Domingo  which 
gets  hold  of  iU  this  specie,  in  exchange  for  wines,  oils, 
soaps,  eatables  and  other  articles  of  French  manufacture. 

**  Tj|ie  planter  does  not  hoard  up,  however  considerable  ^^  ^■ 
mi^%6  the  result  of  his  agricultural  labors.  After  hav- 
ii^  consumed  so  much  of  it  as  is  necessary  to  supply  his 
fraiits,  he  employs  the  rest  in  improving  his  efitite. 
Ambitiou  and  activity  ai'e  his  characteristics ;  all  that 
he  requires  is  encouragement.       *  ^^  f 

't  The  only  taxes  known  in  Louisiana  are  a  duty  of 
slsp  pier  cent,  on  the  exports,  valued  according  to  a  veiy 
nli^erate  estin^tion.    The  same  duty  is  paid  on  all 
.|?^^imp<wt8.-..  ,  ...^^^-Z- 

A  Sp^  has,  so  far,  retained  possession  o|  this  oobuy  ^ 
fc^liolit^^td  reasons,    It  is  onerous  to  h^^  as  It  was        ;* 
onei%»|is  to  France  during  all,  the  time  ^^4^  the  latter 

"  it^  flinoe  the  custoiib|u)|i|§^  duty,  whi<^         | 


■f\;- 


-.I- 
*4 


*£<■ 


;l 


.t 


#. 


*n 


449' 


i 


^• 


mmMi^jLn  MmfoiB. 


'^ 


n  here  the  only  source  of  revenue,  does  not  prodnee 
onniiaUy  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  since  the 
ordinary  eirpenditnre  required  by  the  colony  rises  up 
every  year  to  five  hundred  'and  thirty-seven  thoosand 
dollars,  without  including  tho^eictraordinary  expenses. 

^  The  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  as  subjects  of  the  King 
of  Spain,  have  the  right  to  carry  to  all  the  ports  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  the  products  of  their  soil,  and  when  they 
resort  to  Havana,  Cuba,  Vera  Cruz  and  Oampeachy, 
only  for  the  apparent  purpose  of  selling  their  boxes, 
timber  and  tobacco,  they  smuggle  in  a  considerable 
quantity  of  merchandise  of  French  manufiocture,  such  as 
silk  stu£&,  ribbons,  muslins,  lawns,  lace  and  jewels,  and 
the  vessels  engaged  in  that  trade  always  bring  back  to 
Ijouisiana  four  times  more  dollars  than  the  apparent 
value  of  their  outward  cargoes.  Those  harbons  in  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  furnish  nothing  for  return  cargoes  be- 
yond dollars  and  Campeachy  wood.  This  last  article 
will  only  serve  as  ballast  for  the  ships  returning  to 
France. 

*^If,  in  consequence  of  the  cession  of  Louisiana  to 
France,  Spain  closed  to  that  province  all  her  harbors  in 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  this  measure  would  derive  the 
colony  of  the  principal  resources  which  constitnte  its 
present  prosperity,  and  the  exports  not  being  commen- 
surate with  the  imports  which  it  requires,  its  commerce 
would  decay,  and  the  colony  itself  would  receive  a  blow 

ivhich  would  keep  it  palsied,  until  it  should  become 
sufficiently  peopled  to  enable  it  to  produce  niore  ihHu 

^she  imports. 

"  Louisiana  wants  working  hands.    Give  hef  populBr^ 

<ion^  and  she  will  become  an  inexhaustible  source  of 

wealth  for  France^    Give  her  population,  whateV^  be 

the  means  employed,  but  give  her  p6puMon. 

**Hertok  an-  estimate  of  what  ttuit  |»t^viitee  |fi*5» 


'#>■ 


#%  nm 


-# 


Jt^ 
^li 


4ia 


a8fi«i%4ii  mtnm  fov  the  eommoclittei  ske  reoeiTes  from 
Wxmxm  and  St  Domingo  in  time  of  peaoe,  bnt  wliiob,  in 
tjittexxf  wmr,  ihe  lias  pennissifon.  to  procuie,  wherever  she 
eA%  ilk  the  ports  of  neatral  or  allied  powers. 


4»000^000  lbs.  lugftr  at  |8  per  100  lb. 

^000  b«nel«  of  molM«e%  »t  |18  «Mh 

lOOkOOO  Ibi^  indigo    .... 

8OO.OO9  Iba.  tobMoo  ..... 

Fan  of  divert  kind*  ..... 

UnlMr,  4ar  Aimiahed  to  8t  Domingo  in  tioM  of  p«M« 

300,000  boxea,  annuftlly  lent  to  Havana,  and  sold  for 

2,000  barrels  of  rice^  annually  ezportod  to  St  Domingo^  Ouba, 

•adOampeaoby,  at  the  average  prioe  of 
J>oUMrei  imported  1>y  the  Government  to  meet  the  annual  ex* 

penae*  of  the  itolony  -  .  .  .  . 

(The  extraordinary  expenaee  of  the  Oovemment  abaorb  the 
amoont  of  the  Gnitom>hoiMe  dntiei^  amounting  to  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars.) 
Hie  returns  for  the  contraband  commodities  itttrodnoed  by  the 

Teasels  of  Lonisiana  into  the  Spanish  porta  of  Oaba  and  of 

the  Oulf  amount  to  •  .*.         • 


1820,000, 
60^000 

lOOOOO 
1«,000 

100,000 
60,000 

220,000 

00^000 
MY.OOO 


Total  in  dollars 


000,060 
|1.»S8,000 


"In  time  of  peace,  it  is  the  commerce  of  Bordesini, 
Marseilles  and  Nantes  which  absorbs  all  this  capitalyand 
the  whole  trade  is  even  engrossed  by  vessejb  from  these 
ports.  As  soon  as  they  have  deposited  their  cargoes  at 
;^ew  Orleans,  they  avail  themselves  of  the  time  required 
fb^'  the  sale  of  those  cargoes  and  the  collecting  qi  the 
deMa  due  to  them,  to  make  a  voyage  to  Hayan%  or  Yei ,  j 
Crnz.  They  carry  thither  a  cargo  of  sugar-boxes^  and 
neyer  fail  to  dispose  at  the  same  time  of  the  objects  qf 
hixury  which  they  brmg  from  France  for  that  purposes^ 
^i^L^  on  thelrr  return  to  New  Orleans,  they  find,  their  ^ 
cargo^  for  J^ifppe  ready  prepared.  * 

"it  is  only  since  the  war  with  Great  Britain  dpee  not 
pxe^^ent  any  intercourse  with  JVance^  that;  J^eJOpg  of 
Spaiii  hes  allowed,  the^  province  of  Xioi^siana.  to  ,tr^e 
pt^  nentcid  Aa.ti^||ij^^^^^^^       the  Court  of  Madrid  conld 


^'»* 

« 


^-1* 


% 


0 


^rK:.:, 


■;4 «!,; 


vi 


I 


m 


mm 


■-5*^ 


1, 

' 

li 

imm 


T01!PIAIjBA'»  l^EMOIB. 


%^ 


not  but  be  aware  that  tbe  colony  comd  iiot  do  withoiit;: 
that ,  fomgii  trade.  Whereupon,  it  has  so  turneiqll  out 
that  the  United  States  now  monopolize  the  commerce 
of  Louisiana,  which,  by  this  meaas^  has  hardly  suffered 
at  all  during  the  long  period  of  the  European  wars. 

"  It  would  be  much  to  the  interest  of  France  and  Lou-?^ 
isiana  to  prohibit  the  introduction  of  timber  from  thf^ 
.United  States  into  the  French  colonies.  Then  the  price 
of  the  Louisiana  timber,  which  is  better,  would  be  kept 
up,  and  the  merchants  of  the  province,  instead  of  export- 
ing thither  twenty  cargoes  of  timber  annually,  would 
send  two  hundred,  and,  instead  of  taking  for  their  return 
cargoes  melons  and  dollars,  as  do  the  Americans,  would 
bring  back  French  dry  goods  and  French  liquids,  which 
they  would  pay  for  in  specie,  because  the  sale  of  their 
timber  cargoes  would  not  be  of  sufficient  amount  to  sup- 
ply them  with  retm-n  cargoes.  Besides,  wages  will 
diminish  in  Louisiana  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of 
population,  and  consequently  its  timber  will  become 
cheaper. 

'*  By  this  sketch  it  appears,  that  the  objects  of  expor-* 
tation  from  Louisiana  amount  at  present  to  $1,958,000  j; 
but,  from  the  moment  that  France  shall  be  in  possesion 
of  it,  if  that  province  is  not  permitted  to  continue  its 
commerce  of  sugar-boxes  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  the 
impoi'tation  will  be  limited  to  the  agricultural  producia 
of  its  soil,  the  value  of  which  amounts  now  to  about 
$696,000;  but  then  ihe  deficit  will  be  $1,260,000, 
which  it  now  receives  from  its  trade  in  boxes  and  i^ 
appendages,  and  also  from  the  disbursements  of  Spain 
to  meet  the  necessary  expenses  of  the  colonial  adminis* 
tration. 

"I  must  not  omit  to  say,  that  every  sort  of  paper 
money,  by  causing  the  ruin  of  this  province,  wciidd  in 
the  end  become  onerous  to  the  government,  and  jMtiiftii 


\0, 


Jfc,. 


\ 


M 


TBEAI^  I^F  (ST.  tIkDBFHOirSO. 


ablaelily  to  soiiie  stockholders,  whoare  always  interested 
ittiproposmg  itia  isstie.  The  gQveMiment  will  easily  prt>- 
eure  ftihds  in  Lomsiana,  Iby  resorting  to  bills  of  exchange 
on  the  niationfil  treasury  at  home.  It  is  useless  to  say, 
that  this  resource  would  fail  from  the  very  moment  they 
should  not  meet  with  ready  payment  on  their  becbming 
due. 

**  The;  good  intelligence  which  exists  between  Frauc 
and  Spain  would  also  afford  to  the  former  the  resource 
of  drawing  to  adv^antage,  for  the  expenses  of  the  colony, 
dollars  from  Vera  Cruz,  on  making  reimbursements  for 
them  in  Europe.  Spain  would  find  it  to  her  interest  to^^ 
receive  her  capital  without  other  costs  and  risks  than 
those  of  transportation  from  Vera  Cruz  to  New  Orleansi 

"  This  is  all  the  inform*ition  which  I  have  been  able  to 
gather  during  a  residence  of  eighteen  years  in  Louisiana, 
where  I  was  employed  by  the  government  in  a  superior 
:t)ffice,"  <fec.,  <fec. 

This  able  document  gives  so  very  faithful  a  delineation 
of  Louisiana,  at  the  time,  by  one  w^ose  authority  is  in^ 
ferior  to  none,  that  I  felt  justified  in  transcribing  it  at 
length.  It  holds  up  also  to  France  golden  visions  of 
maritime  power  which  would  have  given  her  a  wonder- 
ful preponderance  in  America,  but  which  she  was  not 
destined  to  realize. 

Pontalba's  memoir  was  presented  on  the  l^th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1800,  and,  on  the  1st  of  October,  a  treaty  was 
concluded  at  St.  Udephonso,  the  third  article  of  which 
is  in  these  terms:  "His  Catholic  Majesty  promises  and 
engages  to  retrocede  to  the  French  Repviblic,  six  months 
after  the  fuU  and  entire  execution  of  the  above  condi- 
tions and  stipulations  relative  to  his  Royal  Highness,  the 
Duke  of  Parma,  the  colony  or  province  of  Louisiana,  with 
the  same  extent  that  it  now  has  in  the  hand&  of  Spain, 
and  that  it  had  when  France  possessed  it,  and  such  as  it 


'£ii 


~W: 


W^-- 


iti  ik 


TRBAfr  COP  ST  mDBPHttNSO. 


oTiglit  to  be  after  the  treaties  sabseqtieBt^efiteroiliilio 
between  Spain  and  other*  statesi"  The  stipulation  Teli^ 
tive  to  the  Duke  of  Parma  was^  that  as  a  compensation 
for  that  Duchy  and  its  dependencies,  which  were  ceded 
to  France  by  that  prince,  who  belonged  to  the  Spanish 
branch  of  the  house  of  Bourbon,  and  as  a  compensation 
also  for  the  cession  which  the  King  of  Spain  made  of 
Louisiana  to  the  same  power,  the  Duke  of  Parma  should 
be  put  in  possession  of  Tuscany,  which  was  to  be  erected 
into  a  kingdom,  under  the  name  of  Etruria,  by  the  gresi^ 
king  maker  and  king  destroyer,  Xapoleon  Bonapart^TJ 
As  France  was  then  at  war  with  England,  the  treaty  was 
carefully  concealed  from  the  knowledge  of  the  public, 
because  Louisiana  might  have  been  easily  attacked  and 
conquered  by  the  English,  who  were  masters  of  the 


I   6 


m 


I 

I 


-■# 


# 


i.A- 


# 


CHAPTER  Ym. 


8AL0ED0  8  ADMINISTBATIOlSr. 


1801  to  1803. 


DoK  JuAi!T  Manuel  de  Saloedo,  a  BrigadieF^OenerafiR 
iti.  the  armies  of  Spain,  arrived  in  Louisiana  about  the 
15th  of  June,  1801,  to  act  as  governor  of  the  provinces 
of  Louisiana  and  West  Florida ;  and  his  predecessor,  the 
Marquis  de  Casa  Calvo,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  had 
entered  on  the  duties  of  his  office  in  the  fall  of  1Y99) 
sailed  immediately  for  Havana* 

The  Americans,  as  neighbors,  had  always  been  con- 
sidered as  very  unsafe  for  Louisiana^tand  one  of  Salcedo's 
first  measures  was  directed  to  check  what  he  thought  to 
be  the  dangerou?'  designs  of  some  men  beloh^n^  to  that 
nation.  Thus,  il  a  despatch  of  the  13th  of  July,  he 
informed  his  government  that  he  had  sent  up  to  Natchi- 
toches all  that  was  necessary  to  arm  and  equip  the 
militia  of  J;  it  district,*  "  with  tlje  view  of  counteract- 
ing the  projects  of  the  American  bandit,  Philip  Nolan, 
•rho  had  introduced  himself  into  the  interior  of  the 
provinces  of  New  Spain,  with  thirty-^ix  armed  men" 

Although  it  had  been  the  policy  of  the  head  of  tfee 
French  government  to  conceal  from  the  public  his  trans- 
actions with  the  contt  of  Hadiid  in  relation  to  Louisiahaj^; 

,  **  OoD  el  fin  de  contrar^Btar  los  di^signios  del  bandido  Amerioano^  Felipe 
'N!olai)„,i^,OQAl  •«  habia  iatroduoido  en  las  provineias  iatemaa  d*  Nneva  E^afi* 
eon  treinti  y  sets  hombres  armadoa. 


■i»r 


-dk 


u» 


BUFUB  KING  S  DEaFATOH. 


^  i 

> 


Bf  'i 


3!    -0 


still  some  knowledge  of  it  had  at  last  ti-anspired^  and 
Mr.  Bnfiis  King,  the  United  Btates  Minister  at  Lontlon 
(for  they  had  nojie  at  the  time  at  Paiis),  wrote  the  fol« 
lowing  despatch  to  the  Secretary  of  St&te  at  Washing- 
tor,  on  the  29th  of  March,  1801 :  "  In  con&*mation  of 
the  rumors  of  the  day,  Carnot's  answer  to  Baillenlf 
published  during  the  exile  of  the  former,  states  the  pKK 
ject  which  had  been  discussed  in  the  Directory,  to* 
obtain  from  Spain  a  cession  of  Louisiana  and  the  Flori- 
das.  A  reference  to  that  performance,  copies  of  which 
I,  at  the  time,  sent  to  the  department  of  State,  vill  show 
'the  manner  in  which  it  was  expected  to  obtain  the  con- 
sent of  Spain,  as  well  as  afford  a  clue  to  the  views  of 
France  in  seeking  this  establishment.  What  wais  then 
meditated  has,  in  all  probability,  since  been  executed. 
The  cession  of  Tuscany  ta  the  Infant,  Duke  of  P'^rma, 
by  the  treaty  between  France  and  Austria,  fynia  a 
more  compact  and  valuable  compensation  to  this  branch 
of  the  house  of  Spain  than  was  formerly  thought  of; 
and  adds  vt..^'  gr*Jat  credit  to  the  opinion  which,  at 
this  time,  ,irevaiLs  both  at  Paris  and  London,  that  Sp^dn 
has,  in  r  turn,  actually  ceded  Louisiana  and  the  Floridas 
to  Frarje.  There  is  reason  to  know  that  it  is  the 
opinion  of  certain  influential  persons  in.  France,  that 
nature  has  marked  a  line  of  separation  between  the 
people  of  the  United  States  living  upon  the  two  sides 
of  the  range  of  mountains  which  divides  their  territory. 
Without  discussing  the  considerations  which  are  sug- 
gested in  support  of  this  opinion,  or  the  false  con- 
sequences, as  I  wish  to  believe  them,  deduced  from  it,  I 
am  apprehensive  that  this  cession  is  intended  to  have, 
and  may  actually  produce,  effects  injurioiis  to  the  Utiicai 
and  consequent  happiness  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States.  Louisiana  and  the  Floridas  may  be  given  to 
the  French  emigrants,  as  England  onse  thought  of 


# 


'*«w''' 


BUTUB  king's   DE9f  ATOB*^ 


44U 


giving  tbem  to  the  American  Tories  *  or  they  may  co«- 
stitute  the  Reward  of  some  of  the  armies  which  can  be 
spiired  at  the  end  oiiho  war. 

"  I  learn  that  General  Collot,  who  was  a  few  years 
ago  in,  America,  and  a  traveller  in  the  Western  conntrjf, 
and  who^  for  some  time,  has  been  in  disgrace  and  con- 
finement in  France,  has  been  lately  set  at  liberty;  and 
that  he,  with  a  considerable  number  of  disaffected  and 

'  J 

exiled  Englishmen,  Scotchmen,  and  Irishmen,  is  soon  to 
proceed  from  France  to  the  United  States.  Whether 
their  voyage  has  any  relation  to  the  cession  of  Louisiana 
is  a  matter  of  mere  conjectm-e ;  but,  having  heard  of  it 
in  connexion  with  that  project,  I  think  proper  to  men- 
tion it  to  you. 

"WW  **ffftet  a  plain  and  judicious  representation 
upon  this  subject,  made  to  the  French  government  by  a 
minister  of  talents  and  entitled  to  confidence,  would  be 
likely  to  have,  is  quite  beyond  any  means  of  judging 
which  I  possess ;  but  on  this  account,  as  well  as  on 
others  of  importance,  it  is  a  subject  of  regret  that  we 
have  not  such  a  character  at  t^is  time  at  Paris." 

On  the  1st  of  June,  Mr.  King,  resuming  the  same  sub- 
ject, said:  "On  this  occasion,  among  other  topics  of 
conversatio:^.  his  Lordship  (Hawkesbury)  introduced  the 
subject  of  Louisiana.  He  had,  from  diiflferent  qiiarters, 
received  information  of  its  cession  tx)  France,  and  very 
unreservedly  expressed  the^  reluctance  with  which  they 
should  be  led  to  acquiesce  in  a  measure  that  might  be 
followed  by  the  most  important  consequences.  The  ac- 
quisition might  enable  France  to  extend  her  Infiuenee 
and  perhaps  her  dominion  up  the  Mississippi,  and  through 
the  lakes,  even  to  Canada.  This  would  be  realizing  t^e 
plan,  to  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  which,  the  '^even 
Years'  War  took  place ;  besides,  the  vicinity  of  the  Flpri"'^ 
das  to  the  West  Indies,  and  the  facility  with  which  the 
i  ^9  • 


■*4 . 


msm 

WB9^m' 

mm 

''''T^sBHh 

m^BwSti 

^Bm\ 

IJHIpli 

mSm 

fllffi;. 

9Hy 

f'i^SwK 

9^^Hf 

s|^g 

^^■hS^ 

'mm 

Wml 

'm^ 

^^f 

t't^'h 


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tip 


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m 


* 


BXJFUB.  xinq's  j^mPAnca, 


■^' 


«\ 


trade  of  the  latter  might  IbO' mterrupted,'  and  the  Jslauds 
even  invaded,  should  th^  transfer  be  made^  wor^  sttong 
reasons  why  England  must  be  unwilling  that  the  te^- 
tory  should  pass  under  the  dominioii  of  France^  As  I 
could  not  mistake  his  Lordship^s  object  ii^  speaking  to 
me  on  this  subject,  I  had  no  difficulty  or  reserve  in  ex- 
pressing my  private  sentiments  respecting  it;  taking  for 
my  text  the  observation  of  Montesquieu,,  'that  it  is 
happy  for  trading  powers,  that  God  has  permitted  sTui'ks 
and  Spaniards  to  be  in  the  world,  since  of  all  nations 
they  are  the  most  proper  to  possess  a  great  empire  with 
insignificance.'  The  purport  of  what  I  said  was,  that 
we  are  contented  that  clie  Floridas  jemain  in  1^©  hands 
of  Spain,  but  should  not  be  willing  to  see  them  traiis- 
feired,  except  to  ouraelves." 

On  the  9th  of  June,  Mr.  Madison,  the  Secretai^^  of 
State,  addressed  Mr.  Pinckney,  the  American  Minister 
at  Madiid,  in  these  terms :  "On  different  occasions  since 
the  commencement  of  the  French  revolution,  opinions 
and  repoiia  have  prevailed,  that  some  part  of  the  Spanish 
possessions,  including  New  Orleans  and  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi,  had  been  or  was  to  be  transferred  to  IVance. 
Of  late,  information  has  been  received  through  several 
channels,  making  it  probable  that  some  arrangement  for 
that  purpose  has  been  concerted.  Neither  the  extent  of 
the  cession,  however,  nor  the  consideration  on  which  it 
is  made,  is  yet  reduced  to  certainty  and  precisdon.  The 
whol^  subject  will  deserve  and  engage  your  early  and 
vigilant  inquiries,  and  may  require  a  very  delicate  and 
circumspect  management.'' 

Alarmed  at  the  consequences  of  a  cession  of  Louisiana 
by  Spain  to  France,  the  government  of  the  United  States 
lost  no  time  in  sending  a  minister  to  France,  and  gave 
that  important  mission  to  Robert  IL  Livingston*  On 
the  28th  of  September,  1801,  the;.%scy©taiy  of  State  wrote 


% 


r# 


f 


the  islands 
T&i:e  sttpttg 
b  the  teijri- 
gace.  As  I 
jpeaking  to 
serve  in  <px- 
•  taking  for 

'that  it  is 
dtted  (Turks 
'  ail  nations 
empire  with 
d  was,  that 
n  the  hands 
them  trains- 
Secretary  of 
can  Minister 
ccasions  since 
ion,  opinions 
f  the  Spanish 
month  o£  the 
ed  to  France, 
rough  several 
:angement  for 
the  extent  of 
•n  on  which  it 
[•eci^on.    The 
our  early  and 
f  delicate  and 

n  of  Louisiana 
United  States 

mce,  and  gave 
vingston*  On 
of  State  wrote 


451 


to  him:  ^^l^m  different  source^  informatioiti  has  been 
]*eceived  that,  by  some  transaction  concluded^  or  contem- 
plated, betw-een  France  and  Spain,  the  mouth  of  the 
Mi&sisSippi,  with  certain  portions  of  tidjacent  territory,  is 
to  pass  frbtn  the  hands  of  th^  latter  to  the  former  nati6n. 
Such  a  change  of  our  neighbors  in  that  quarter  is  of  too 
mdmehtous  concern  not  to  have  engaged  the  most  serious 
attention  of  the  Executive.  It  was  accordingly  made  one 
of  the  subjects  of  instruction  to  Mr.  Pinckney,  our  minis- 
ter plenipotentiary  at  the  Court  of  Madrid.  You  will 
find  an  extract  of  the  passage  hereto  annexed,  No.  1. 
A  paragraph  connected  with  the  same  subject,  in  a  letter 
to  Mr.  -King,  is  also  extracted  and  annexed.  No.  2.  In 
these  extracts  you  will  see  the  ideas  entertained  by  the 
Executive,  and  the  general  considerations  which  it  is  pre- 
sumed will  have  most  tendency  to  dissuade  the  parties 
from  adhering  to  their  object.  As  soon  as  you  shall  have 
prepared  the  way  by  the  necessary  inquiries  at  Paris,  it 
will  be  proper  for  you  to  break  the  subject  to  the  French 
Government,  and  to  make  the  use  of  those  considerations 
most  likely  to  give  them  full  weight." 

When  the  anxieties  of  the  United  States  Government 
were  thus  excited,  preliminaries  of  peace  wei-e  signed 
between  France  and  England,  on  the  1^  of  Octobef, 
1801 ;  and  the  former  power  was  secretly  preparing  to 
avail  itself  of  its  treaty  with  Spain  in  relation  to  Loui- 
siana, of  the  Ist  of  October,  1800,  which  had  been  re- 
newed in  all  its  dispositions  on  the  21st  of  March,  1801. 
Mr.  King;  the  American  Minister  at  London,  succeeded 
in  procuring  a  copy  of  that  secret  treaty,  and  forwwded 
it  to  "Washington  city,  with  the  following  note  to  the 
Secretary  of  State,  ^ated  on  the  20th  of  November : 
'  If  the  annexed  copy  of  the  treaty*  betw«3en  France  imd 

*  Annals  of  Oongreis,  Session  of  i803,  p.  lOl^,     Appendix 


"KJt 


■^■ 


n 

I 

If  us 


'J 


'm^ 


m 


I 


§ 


'^n'- 


T  !ii 


W' 


m 


TBEATT   BETWBEK  SPAIN  AND  FBANOE. 


Spain,  respecting  the  establishment  of  the  Pkince  of 

Panna  in  Tuscany,  be  genuine,  of  which  I  have  no  reason 

to  doubt,  you  will  perceive  the  value  which  these  powers 

seem  to  have  placed  upon  Louisiana,  the  ces^on  whereof 

to  l^ance  is  confirmed  by  the  7th  article  of  this  treaty. 

"I  am  in  hopes  that  I  shall  be  able  to  obtain  and  send 

you  a  copy  of  the  treaty  ceding  Louisiana  to  France. 

This  would  enable  us  t^o  determine  whether  it  includes 

New  Orleans  and  the  Floridas,         *  *  * 

'*  *  *  *  *  «  • 

"  It  is  not  a  little  ext,raordinary  that,  during  the  whole 
negotiation  between  France  and  England,  not  a  word 
was  mentioned  on  either  side  respecting  Louisiana,  though 
this  government  was  not  ignorant  of  the  views  of  France 
in  this  quarter." 

In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Livingston  had  arrived  in  Paris, 
where  his  presence  was  so  much  wanted,  and  on  the 
12th  of  December,  said  in  a  despatch  to  Mr.  Madison: 
"  In  addition  to  what  I  wrot-e  yesterday,  I  have  only  to 
mention,  that  I  am  more  and  more  confirmed,  notwith- 
standing what  I  there  say  of  the  minister's  assurance, 
that  Louisiana  is  a  favorite  object,  and  that  they  will  be 
unwilling  to  part  ivrith  it  on  the  condition  I  mentioned. 
Speaking  of  the  means  of  paying  their  debts  to  one  of 
their  ministers,  yesterday,  I  hinted  at  this.  His  answer 
was :  '  None  but  spendthrifts  satisfy  their  debts  by  sell- 
ing their  lands;'  adding,  however,  after  a  short  pause, 
'  but  it  is  not  ours  to  give.' " 

On  the  30th  of  the  same  month,  Mr.  Xivingston  com- 
municated  his  views  to  Mr.  Rufus  King  at  London,  on 
the  important  subject  which  so  keenly  excited  the  atten- 
tion of  the  government  of  the  United  States:  "I  took 
oce«ion,"  said  he,  "on  my  first  private  audience  of  thfe 
]\tiniBter  of  Exterior  Relations,  to  press  him  directly  upon 
the  subject,  taking  the  common  reports  as  a  foundation 


# 


;«;,- 
■« 


LiviNoan^oN's  otopatoh  to  bufus  Kmo. 


458 


'|o  my  inquiry.  He  explicitly  denied  that  anything  had 
heea  concluded,  but  admitted  that  it  had  been  a  subject 
of  conversation.  I  know,  however,  from  a  variety  of 
channelsj  that  it  is  not  a  mere  matter  of  conversation, 
but  that  the  exchange  has  actually  been  agreed  upon ; 
that  the  armament  destined,  in  ^e  first  instance,  for 
Hispaniola,  is  to  proceed  to  Louisiana,  provided  Tous- 
samt  makes  no  opposition.  Greneral  Collot,  whom  you 
may  have  seen  in  America,  was  originally  intended  foi* 
governor  of  the  province,  but  he  is,  at  present,  out  of 
favor.  I  think  it  probable  the  minister  will  justify  his 
concealment  to  me,  by  its  not  having  been  definitively 
closed  with  Spain,  as  this,  though  determined  between 
the  two  governments,  may  form  an  article  in  the  general 
treaty.  His  absence  (being  at  Lyons)  prevents  my 
coming  to  something  more  explicit  with  him.  That 
Spain  had  maOe  this  cession  (which  contravenes  all  her 
former  maxims  of  policy),  cannot  be  doubted  *  but  she 
is  no  longer  a  free  agent. 

"  I  wish  to  know  from  you  in  what  light  this  is  seen 
by  England.  It  will  certainly,  in  its  consequences,  be 
extremely  dangerous  to  her,  as  it  will  give  an  almost 
unbounded  power  to  her  rival. 

"It  puts  Spain  in  a  perpetual  state  of  pupilage,  since 
she  must  always  tremble  for  the  safety  of  her  colonies, 
in  cade  of  rupture.  To  avoid  this  evil,  she  must  grant 
every  commercial  and  political  advantage  to  France. 
Her  manufactures  will  find  their  way,  through  this  chan- 
nel, into  every  part  of  the  Spanish  territory,  to  the*  ex- 
clusion of  thc^  of  Britain.  Our  Western  territory  may 
be  rendered  sa  dependent  upon  them  as  to  promote  their 
political  views,  while  the  interest  they  have  always  nur- 
tured with  the  Indians,  and  the  natural  character  of  the 
peasantry  of  C&nada,  may  render  the  possessions  of 
Britain  very  precarions,  to  say  nothing  of  the  danger 


»w  ■,>■■;,: 


&m 


m 


UVINGATOffV  OXBPATOU  TO  TV¥V^  SITSQ. 


which  mii8t  threaten  hei-  islauds,  in  ome  a  respeetablt* 
estabHshinent  should  be  made,  by  France  in  Louisiana, 
which  will  not  fail  tc^  b  •  the  caBe,  as  the  territory  \»  nn- 
commonly  finej  and  produces  sugar,  and  every  iM^icle 
now  cultivated  in  the  islands. 

*'  l  suggest  these  hints,  that  they,  with  many  otherHr 
which  may  occur  to  you,  may  be  made  use  of  with  tbj^ 
British  ministry,  to  induce  them  to  throw  all  i^e  ob* 
stacles  in  their  power  in  the  way  of  a  final  settlement  of 
this  business)  if  it  is  not  already  too  late^  You  knowy 
however,  the  importance  of  not  appearing  yourself,  or 
permitting  me  to  appear  much  opposed  to  it,  if  you  find, 
the  thing  concluded,  since  it  might  be  made  use  of  to 
embroil  is  with  France,  and  Britain  will  have  sufficients, 
address  to  endeavor  to  keep  up  a  mutual  jealousy,  if 
t-   possible,  between  us." 

"On  the  following  day  (Slst  of  December),  he  wrotcs 
to  Mr.  Madison :  "  The  business  of  Louisiana  is  very  dis-w+ 
agreeable  to  Spain,  as  far  as  I  c&n  learn.     If  it  should 
be  equally  so  to  Britain,  perhaps  it  may  meet  with  some 
obstacles.    It  is  a  favorite  measure  here.     Marbois  told 
noye  yesterday  it  was  considered  important  to  have  an 
outlet  for  their  turbulent  spirits ;  yet  would  not  expli- 
citly acknowledge  that  the  business  had  been  concluded." 
.  "ii  the  fall  of' this  year,  the  Intendant  of  Louisiana, 
Bon  Bamon  de  Lopez  y  Angullo,  surrendered  his  office 
into  llie  hands  of  Don  Juan  Ventura  Morales,  the  comp- 
,    trol^r,  who  was  to  fulfil  his  fujuctions  ad  interim,  and. 
I*'  prepared  to  depart. for  Spain.    But,  in  settling  his  ^icyf 

^        counts^  it  seems^  that  he  got  into  serious  difficulties  with 
Immoo^sso',  w^  brought. some  accusation  against  him 
'      befere  the^anish -minfetry.    In  answer  to  it,  Lopez 
coniplained  Mttorly  of  lilorales,  who,  he^  said,  threw*  in 

*  FonuAndo.im  diUitltdo  pro^eso  por  la  co«a  jnas  olara^insigQifioante,  iBfundada 
'^  6  injiista,  y  como  lia  as^lkyperreM  tna^litpiidad  de  sa  ocMM^o^^^^^ 


''%-. 


BEVOLUnONABT  SFIBIT  W  TBB  OOLONT. 


465 


his  way  interminable  delays  and  litij^ation  on  the  cleai'est 
and  most  intign&ficant  points,  and  on  grounds  wliicU 
were  nnfonnded  and  unjust.  ''  Wherefore,"  continued 
he,  ''^dfiidering  that  the  crafty  and  intense  maligni- 
ty of  Morales  and  of  his  satellite,  the  assessor  (Berano) 
who  is  also  my  mortal  enemy,  know  no  bounds,  I  again 
beg  your  eT.ellency  (the  minister  in  Spain)  t;;  ^..^^^nd' 
your  (ie'  until,"  &c,  Ac. 

Gov  '^'^Icedo  seems  not  to  have  bee    yeiy  r^ell 

{leased  spirit  which  prevailed  in  the  c«>lony ; 

for,  in  I;  ^...  h  of  the  2d  of  March,  1802,  he  violently 
complaiu(id  of  the  choice  made  by  the  Oabildo,  or  city 
council  of  New  Orleans,  of  one  Jose  Martinez  de  la 
Pedrera,  ns  their  assessor,  and  he  even  begged  leave  to 
diive  him  out  of  the  colony.  He  represented  that  this 
individual,  ever  since  his  arrival  from  Bayamo,  had 
busied  himself  in  raising  up  parties,  in  fomenting  dissen- 
sions and  in  breathing  the  fire  of  discord  into  the  breasts 
of  the  principal  members  of  the  community,  and  had 
treated  with  proud  contempt  the  only  two  men  learned 
in  the  law  who  were  to  be  found  in  the  province.  He 
add«d :"  It  is  important  to  repress*  the  pen  and  tongue 
of  the  said  Pedi^ra,  who  is  a  bold  man,  and  a  dangerous 
character  among  a  population,  the  larger  portion  of  which 
is  composed  of  foreigners,  disagreeing  in  their  religious 
opimons  and  customs,  whose  natural  dispositions  are  op- 
poised  to  a  prudent  and  gentle  submission  to  the  laws, 
and  who  fure  anxious  to  introduce  innovations  harmoniz- 
ing with  the  maxims  of  liberty  which  favor,  as  they 

B«t«j^«ij»,-y  tambi«k.<»ii«migo  mortal  mio,,  notiraen  lunite%  reitero  d  V.  £.  \m 
BupUoa  que  le  tengo  booha  de  que  suBpende  bu  jnioio,  Ac.,  Ac. 

*  Qne  es  importante  oonteneif  la  plutaa  y  la  lengua  d«l  dioho  Pedrera,  hombre 
wSftm,  en  im  {>aijarfion9||n$ato-por  la  mayor  'jprfSe  de-  evtraageres  de  .pene|braeiott, 
de  religion  y  eostnmbrea  diTersas,  contrarioa  por  natnraleza  i  la  prudente  y  mo- 
derada  ^i^jeoion  &  las  leyea^  y  annoeos  de  introduoir  novedades  analo|^  A  lar 
nKoiaaa  de  fibertaui  que  iMil^fB^ 


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imiigine,tfaeir  tastes  and  oaprice».^  The  Botert^P'p^ 
bably  alluded  in  this  despatch  to  l^e  Americai^  whibie 
number  was  daily  increasing  in  New  Orleanik      ;•  ^ 

Ithe  fact  is,  that  rumors  of  the  cession  of  Lotmiaat  to 
France  had  reached  that  province,  and  had  produoed  a 
d^dp  sensation  and  a  variety  of  feelings  among  its  motley 
population.  The  Americans  were  not  the  least  excited^ 
and  showed  themselves  very  hostile  to  the  contcoK^pIaited 
measure.  That  class  of  the  population  had  always  %etssi 
looked  upon  with  a  suspicious  eye  by  the  Spanish  Go- 
vernment, which  noTT  became  more  averse  than  ever  to 
permitting  their  number  to  increase,  partiotilarly  on  a©- 
count  of  the  critical  situation  in  which  Lowsiana'  was 
placed ;  for  this  reason,  the  Baron  de  Bastrop  having 
ceded  to  Moorhouse,*  a  citizen  of  the  United  ^tes,  a 
part  of  the  large  gi*ant  he  had  obtained  from  the  Baron 
de  Carondelet,  in  1Y96,  on  the  Ouachita,  the  king  disap- 
proved of  this  arrangement,  and,  by  a  royal  decree  of 
the  18th  of  July,  1802,  forbade  the  grant  of  any  land  in 
liouisiana  to  ii,  citizen  of  the  United  States* 

Acting  under  the  influence  of  the  same  policy^  and  in 
order  to  prevent  the  afflux  of  Americans  to  New  Orleans 
at  a  time  which  involved  peculiar  difficulties,  the  ioten- 
^dant  Morales  issued  an  order  suspending  the  right  of 
deposit  at  that  town,  by  a  proclamation  of  the  16th  of 
October,  1802.  This  measure  was  extremely  prejndieia] 
to  New  Orleans,  where  it  almost  produced  a  £umne  by 
stopping  the  supplies  of  flour  and  other  Wdstera  pro- 
duce necessary  for  the  daily  sustenance  ol-its  poptdation. 

When  this  news  reached  the  Wefitenii  p^ple^  diey 
were  flred  with  indignation  at  an  act  which  smpeiiMi 
tbeif  comm^ce  with  New  Orleatu9)  and  deiprived  ^th^ 
of  on  ouliet  without  which  they  could 


s^'-/ 


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oiiaxAsum*,  rot  il,  |>.  liO. 


9 


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#' 


MOtAIi^r  PROdilUf  ATtOV  OT  1802. 


m 


Hmnef^oa  appeals,  p^titionct^  and  even  violent  tlixeats 
vrete  addri^ssed  tQ  the  genei^  govemmeiit  on  the  anb- 
j^,  atkd  the  protracted  embat^raesmente  of  the  West 
were  exposed  to  the  whole  people  of  the  United  States 
in  so  impressive  a  manner,  as  to  command  their  deep 
attentioil  and  to  force  the  government  into  immediate 
abd  energetic  action.  Here  is  a  specimen  of  the  lan- 
gQag0  used  on  the  occasion :  *^  The  Mississippi,^  said  the 
Western  people,  "is  ours*  by  the  law  of  natnre;  it  be> 
longs  to  us  hj  our  numbera,  and  by  the  labor  which  we 
have  bestowed  on  those  spots  which,  before  our  arrival, 
were  desert  and  barren.  Onr  innumerable  rivers  swell 
i%  and  flow  with  it  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Its  mouth 
is  the  only  issue  which  nature  has  given  to  ourwaters^ 
and  we  wish  to  use  it  for  our  vessels.  No  pow'<M'  in  the 
world  shall  deprive  us  of  this  right.  We  do  not  prevent 
the  Spaniards  and  French  from  ascending  the  river  to 
our  towns  and  villages.  We  wish  in  our  turn  to  de- 
scend it  without  any  interruption  to  its  mouth,  to  ascend 
it  again,  and  exercise  our  privilege  of  trading  on  it  and 
navigating  it  at  our  pleasure.  If  our  most  entire  liberty 
in^^^is  matter  is  disputed,  nothing  shaU  prevent  our 
taking  possession  of  the  capital,  and^  when  we  are  oncf' 
masters  of  it^  we  shall  know  how  to  maintam  oiirs^v^ 
there;  If  Congress  recuses  ud  effectual .  protections  ^  it 
forsakes  us,  we  will  adopt  *he  measures  which  our  safety 
requires,  even  if  they  endanger  the  peace  of  the  Usiieii 
and  our  connection  with  the  other  States*  No  ppdflec- 
l3on,  no 


w 


Serano,  the  assessor  of  the  i^tendanc;^  having  died  om  § 
^e  1st  of  December,  1802,  Motales^  in  donseqiie^nee  of 
this  yeveirtii  48ag?»^  M     llaiiin  in^his  J^SkHCy  of  lio^i^ 
aiu^  «Iosdd  tije  M^un^  of  affillrs  and  causes  r^attoi  to 


tiMi.'   t88^" 'P '21tf.    ' 


i 


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#- 


■4 


4^8         MB.  KIN&^dV  Mi»€8l8ta#'W 


K: 


■•S"!- 


fi|>pert8nikigf  beoanse  the  olrdkliwfsv  filt«  Hiii!&'!&^^ 
of  ^li^6lr  Spain  provided  ihiU^lb^ 
dethat^tadbQnal  a&d  sobstaiit^a^  its  ae^  ti^^M^ 
be4h«r  eoncuirenee  of*  liiioli  ax^ara^i^^^^^ii^vti^l^ 
abo  prodaced  no  small  inconvenience  to  tl^e»ptibHM'' h; '' 
Bat  let  ns  retani  to  Eor^  and  s^^at  Wli6']^asi|ig 
thero'in  relation  to  Lonisiana.    The  Amencflifr  iMilifiti^li 
had  not  be^n  sleeping  at  their  pcjots^  aiid  llj*;  livh^ipi^ 
had^  on  the  Idth^of  Jannary,  ISOSy^thtis  ftddry^i^  r^ 
Secretary  of  State  at  Washington  t  ^'My  formea*  Mtc^ 
left,  yoa  little  doubt  on  the  subject  of  the^^eiiB£d<:^^%f 
XiOuisianat    By  the  inclosed  copy  of  the  late  ^eatj^bii** 
twemii  J^canee  and  Spain,  you  will  find  that  i%  ill' a  t^aiai^ 
action  of  pretty  long  standing.  '''** 

..# The  absence  minister  prevents  my  applying 

t©  him  for  the  former  treaty,  which  her  will  =hiKrdIyto6w^ 
how  to  fgive  me  after  absolutely  denying*  that  attjrh«#' 
been  formed  on  the  subject    By  the  secrecy  and  dti|JM^' 
city  practised  relative  t<>  this  object/ it  is  cletlr  to  me 
i^at  they  apprehend  some  opposition  on  the  p4it  6^ 
AMerica  to  their  plans." 

>' 'Two  days  afber,  Mr^  King  communicated  also  MsTlfeWj^ 
on  tke  subject  to  J'  Miidison:  "I  have  b^^^  ^en- 
tioned  to  you  thnt  th  .^ssioa  of  Louisiana  (of  ^irhieh  it 
seen^  to  me  w(i  can  have  no  doubt,  notwitiuM;ttttdiiig 
what  nmy  be  said^o  amus^us)  was  not  once  atopic  of 
inquiry  OF  disi^iSBiott  in  the  tsegotiation  of  Idte  i>r^Umi^a^ 
ries;*  and^  for  the  same  reason  that  It  wisutiiiJt  h»i^ 
o^t^iittfc  oaoasiioay  'lidrd  Hawkesbtffy  has  recently  lb'- 
fOTmpd-me^  that  tH-had  not  befen^  ittid  would  im  ^ 
mestionied  at! 


It  is  ifnpiOBBible  for  iifie  td  siipi 

*  tti«  pailfinUiftHtt  of  t>igiii^e  iigreti  to  bettreea  l!niiiee  aftS  9lri|^4  on,'^^ 

HettfOet^f  tsic:.  '     .      " 

OQu  the  tehoii  of  a  deflnitire  peaoe  between  the  two  tfationi 


'  *  <i^:. 


jy. 


:;*■ 


ii^^^ii  iffi|ir,4iad  my  p«i^^ 
j$^f^;^ia^6ai,m^      i%  that  Eo^uid  lOwtaiiui  ^tm 

'""  i0t  to^^^4mlimc(B  of  Ihiropej  as  vr^  i«iiJi«9?»owii 
»^^WB|^  i^pdn  wkidb  slie  has  been  fdt(^Uier>  8i]«»t«" 

c3a^$s0(ki»fmA  thBmystetj  with  wlu^h  they  had  shitit^dd 
t^tlfite  tr&jidaction,  w^e  but  too  well  eakidsted  ^ 
eal^i^  theiffirudeities  c^the  Ame;racaii  Ministers  at  Piuns^ 
Mfi^id,  a^  X^iidoa,  aad  they  were  exceed^ly  desirous ' 
o^^afeeartaining^  whether  the  treaty  of  cession  betweci^ 
f^^loioe^aitid  Sf^it  inclttded not  only  Lcnisxanabnt^ also> 
th^^wastMdasi  On  the  20th  of  Febmary,  Mr^IMng^ 
ston  addressed  to  the  Minister  of  Exl^rior  BeMons  the 
fojldwing  ndte :  "The  undersigned,  <fec.,  *  ♦  *  has 
seen,  with  some  concern,  the  reserve  of  the  Fren<^  gov- 
eironent,  with  jfespect  to  the  cession  they  have  rec^ved 
from;Spain  of  Louisiana*  .,:,  ^.; 

*^H6  had  hoped  that  they  would  have  found  apr(^>ri#y 
inma^Qg  such  frank  and  open  communications  to  hinij 
as  would  have  enabled  him  to  satisfy  the  government  (rf 
the  United  States,  that  «ieith«rtheir  boundary,nor  the  na* 
vigation  of  the  Mississippi^  secured  by  their  treaties  mth 
^pain^  Would  be,  m  any  way,  affected  by  the  measpe*' 
It  would  also  have  been  very  satisfactory  to  hini  tohaVe> 
tal^en  si^h  arrangements  with  the  Minister  of  Extoiiop 
Ralatibns  as  would  have  had  a  tendency  to  dissipate  the 
ahtnos  the  people  of  the  Western  territory  of  the  United 
States  will  not  f^  to  feel,  on  the  arrival,<rf  a  kigebody 
offrench  droops  in  th^  vicimty-,  i^rms  i^hixdi' wiU 
b^^^iena«ii^  %  ike  exeH»>ite  of  ^those  pipwers^  tha^b  .At^ 
iSf0ir^j»^d£a  keepli^  Ihe  two  Be|>ubiie8  from  oeoienting 
their  oiniiie^xioiL  ifte  poHijy.  of'  the  fcin&ef  fl^v^numefit 
oi  IM^  M  it  4p  im>i«^ilrfi«»^^  ^Nmttot^ny  wi^ 


m 


-V 


.,-r 


# 


4m 


|.(V|^08TQK  TO  TALLEir]l4in>. 


I 


I- 


!     -^ 


# 


■*? 


the  Umted  ^tatciS)  not  ovXj  hy  d^clinmg^  to  posa^af  ^ny 
^mtofiff  m  t\mr  neighborhood,  but  «l£K^  %  stlpi^jl^ 
a«rfer  to  }iold  any.    The  i:ndei«gned  does  not,  %,  t|i38 
reCei^nee  to  the  6th  article  of  the  trealy  of  l11M^m0^ 
to  <^laim  (my  rights  under  it,  since  by  the  cpn^ entip#  ^f 
Paris,  September  SOth,  1800,  it  is  understood  to  be  Te- 
v'oked ;  but  merely  to  lead  the  Frepch  government  to 
reflect,  how  &r  a  regard  to  the  same  policy  might  )<fndjt>r 
it  conducive  to  the  mutual  interest  of  both  natio^  to 
cover,  by  a  natmral  barrier,  their  possessions  in  Amen(^ 
as  France  has  invariably'sought  to  do  in  Europe.      ,.  , 
^  "  The  undersigned  prays  the  Minister  of  Exterior  Ke- 
lations  (if  the  request  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  views 
of  the  government),  to  inform  him  whether  East  and; 
West  Florida,  or  ^ther  of  them,  are  included  in  the 
treaty  made  between  France  and  Spain ;  and  to  affoi^d^, 
him  such  assurances,  with  respect  to  the  lin^its  of  their 
territory  and  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  heretvj;, 
fore  agreed  on  between  Spaiu  and  the  United  Stated  as 
may  prove  satisfactory  to  the  latter. 

"  If  the  territories  of  East  and  West  Florida  be  inclu- 
ded within  the  limits  of  the  cession  obtained  ^y  F|?^np&^^ 
the  undersigned  desires  to  be  informed  how  far  it  would 
be  practicable  to  make  such  arrangements  betiveenthe^*. 
respective  governments  as  would,  at  the  same, time,, 44 
ttt^  financial  operations  of  France,  and  remove,  by  a 
strong  natural  boundary,  all  future  causes  of  d^content 
between  her  and  the  United  States." 
gs  On  the  26ith  of  the  same  month,  Mr,  lAviog^fi  |% 
fortn^  Mir.  31(1^8©!*  t^t  he^^^^^^  no  rejj^ty  to 

the  abovf  ncrte ;  thai.,he  had  discovered,  howo^er,^^thgit 
the  p^ectedestabHshinGnt  inXpuisi 
"bfwexj  statesnian  in  France,  a?  QW  that  woidd:  occasic^^ 
m^mi  T^iii^lig^:  men  and  money,  excite  ^niv^tliM  wii^ 
the  Um^  St«t«ij  |^ld  pro^^ 


'Ml 


W 


# 


*ttT&f<iSfM^: 


lOBBOir. 


im 


w 


listdoii^'  But  ihe  added  that  it  waa  a  sch^iie 
tcf^' ^j^eb  the  Ji^itoli  Oon^nln  was  extremely  attached ; 
a&[^>tlxe]!«£»re,  that' those  about  him  felt  themselirea 
ct^jp^Ui^  tO'^nj^rt  it  J  and  that  General  "^BeirnaMto 
|iB  mderstood  to  be  designed  for  theconmumd.of  the 
i^ioiiUmy^  and  to  have  asked  ten  thoosand  tpoops. 

KotMthinanding  all  his  exertions;  the  American  pinia- 
tei'iBC^tiiraed  to  remain  in  the  dark  in  relation  to  the; 
d^gns  of  France  on  Lomsiana  and  the  Floiidas,  as  ap^ 
pears  by  a  communication  whi^  he  addressed  on  the. 
^ik  of  March,  to  the  Secretuy  of  State  at  Washing^tonr 
"On  the  business  of  Louisiana,"  said  he,  "they  h&ve,  m 
yeffc,  not  thought  it  proper  to  give  me  any  explanations^ 
tho%h  I  have  omitted  no  opportunity  to  press  the  sub- 
jeeit  in  conveirsation,  and  ultimately  by  the  note  sent 
you  on  the  26th  of  February,  with  the  copy  of  another 
ndte  enfe)rcuig  the  above,  to  which  I  have  as  yet  received 
noanswer,"  ■■■'- ,  ~'J:-"'^.^ 

""Ihe  fa^t  is,  they  believe  us  to  be  certainly  hostile  to 
the  measure,  and  they  mean  to  take  possession  of  Xioui- 
siana  as  0arly  as  possible,  and  with  as  little  notice  to  us 
as^l^ycan.^    ■    ■        ■■:-.  ■ -.c...;./;^- .  .  ..,> 

"Th^  are  mude  to  believe  thk  is  one  of  the  most  fer^ 
tili^  and  important  couiitries  in  the  world;  that  l^ey 
have  h  much  greater  mterest  with  the  Indians  thfin  lny 
other  people ;  that  New  Orleims  must  command  ike 
trade  ollfonr  whole  WesteA  comitry ;  and,  <^  course!^ 
that  they  will  have  a  leading  interest  in  its  politics*  It 
is  a  daifiUng  obje<H;  with  the  first  consul,  who  sees  in  it  a 
means  to  grat%  his  friends,  and  to  dispose  of  his  armies. 
Th^re  is  a  man  here,  who  calls  himself  a  f^penchmam  by 
the  ham^  of  Frakciis  Tatergem,  who  pisbtends  to  have 
^reat  interei^t  wil^  the  Greek  nations.  He  has  be^ 
idi'^iiio^  to  the  ra&k  of  a  genend  of  division.  He  per^ 
3hii^;ili6m  that  the  Bidiaiiaai^  ext«Bi|lely  tfttadied  t6 


''^P 


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« 


i  I 


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TBMkTiCfW  JMSMM.' 


Franea^  Mid  kate  the  Ameriooiis';  thitt  ihey^'^eimv^wM 
twenty  tlioiuMindiraiTiort;  tiiattheootmtiyis'aiMtf^isElito, 
i&c.  vl  believe  him  to  be  a  oiei^  i^velitnreF '^  -biit^i^h^iis 
lulened  to^'and  w«8  flrot  taken  np  bf  tiie  old  dtreet^pi^'! 

On  the  24th  of  April^  although  another  nion^*  had 
elapsed,  Mr.  Livingston  had  gained  no  ground,  And'Ogiin 
repeated  to  Mr,  Madison :  ^^'Bie  business  most  iiitepfialitig 
to  us,  that  of  Louisiana,  still  remains  in  the  state  It  was» 
The  minister  will  give  no  answer  to  anyinqniHes  X  nuike 
on  that  subject.  He  w|U  not  say  what  their  bonndariss 
are,  wbirt/  are  their  intentions,  and  when  they  at9  to  taJce 
possession.^' 

In  the  meantime,  however,  a  definitive  treaty  of  peace 
between  Spain,  France,  and  Great  Britain,  had  been 
signed  at  Amiens  on  the  25th  of  Maroh^  and  this  cirdnm- 
,  stance,!  which  opened  the  ocean  to  Bonaparte'4  contem- 
plated expedition  in  relation  to  Louisiatta^  keenly  in- 
creased the  anxieties  of  the  United  States,  and  they 
began  to  assume  a  tone  whicK  shows  the  deep  feeling  of 
the  country  on  the  subject.  On  the  1st  of  May^r  Mr. 
Madison  wrote  the  following  despatch  to  Mf;  Livingston : 
**  The  conduct  of  the  French  Government  in  paying  so 
little  attention  to  itu  obligations  under  the  troaty^  in 
neglecting  itis  debts  to  our  dtizens,  in  giving  noianawers 
to  yottr  complaiBts  and  expostulations,  whiehf  yen  say  is 
the  caso' with  those  of  other  foreign  ministers  lUso,  and 
.partioularly  in  its  reserve  A  to  Louisiana,  whidi  tacitly 
eontradk^'  the  language  :fir9t  held  to  youi  hy  meMs^ 
ter  of  FormgnBelation»-^ves  tokens  He  IHtlean^^eus 
to?4ihe  tvuo  interests  of  Fraoce  hioself^/BartO)  t^  lights 
imd'|BitV0%|jeiit»of  teIJntted#^  -      f  -  rji 

4Tlie  ^etnion  of  Loui«iaiii»^  France  v  b^eoii«B#<  di^ 

lhe^^»»ty^'Of  Ht^ch,  1^ 
4%^  gWerid  bdw^^itejiM^^^tiM^^ 


itB»  jiAttaov  2d?3m.  ijmaNMiov. 


400 


nfKBBArjeB*  to itlMt  iriimd  w^  «frenttia%^dfli<M[  Ibr 
I^^liiiiaiia,  ft  luype  WM  still  draws  horn  jm&witlf  wa- 
r0sMiimyfi1h  Kn  TiOleyraiid,  4ik»t.ih«  JMti^^^^ 
HKffii'did  not  mseaa  t&  pDtBW  tho  ok^}«cty  ^Siiied  tiio 
Mfwlpt  of -yonr  last  comi|iiimoBtioB%  no  hope  rwusuU'biit 
fi*om  tiie  iMjeoaiidtt^g  diffiosltini  of  going  thfdQ^)i  with 
the  nsd^vtakUig,  and  frem '  ike  convietion-  yon  liifty>  be 
ftble  toitnprew,  ihat  it  must  have  an  instant  and  |K>wer- 
Meffeeiin  changing  the  rek^ns  between  Fraaoe  and 
tiie  United  States.  The  oha%e  is  /obvuras  ^  and  the 
nioreit  can  be  developed  in  candid  and  IHen<^;f  appeals 
to.  ithift  reflections  of  the  IVench  Government^  the  more  it 
will  aig9  it  to  revise  and  abandon  the  project*  A  mere 
mighhrkxid  could  not  be  friendly  tQ  the  harmony  which 
both  oonntries  have  so  mneh  an  interest  in  eherii^&g ; 
bat  if^  a  poesemoti^  of  the  mouth  of  the  Mimmjo^  is  ito 
be  added  to  the  other  causes  of  discord,  the  worst  events 
are  to  be  apprehended.  Yon  will  consequently  «pare  no 
eflfort*,  tibat  will  consist  with  prudence  and  dignity^' -to 
lead' the  councils  of  i*rance  to  proper  vie#s  of  ^^fchift'lil^ 
jeot^'fii^d  to  an.  abandonment  of  her  presents  pm^poae; 
You  mil  also  pnrsne^  by  prudent  '^leans,  '^e  rjiqu^iifiho 
the  extent  of  the  cession-^particult^iy  f  whether  it  Mi(#8 
the  Fh>iddas  as  well  as  l^ew'^^Orlea^fs-^^'-imd  md^i^F  to 
aseertain  the  price  at  which  theses  if  mclndfid'mtiit 
cession^  woi:dd  be  yielded  to  the  United  Statesr  I 
Ist^  pres^  statf^of  thkgi,  be  more 
Jipad^  #«mito  obiierve  1^  in  every^vi^  it<woiaii^a 
niOit  pre<^en&.  ac<|iiisitto^  imd  that,  as  #r  iMiVthe  4i»illii 
could  be  saifasfled  by  ehar^ng  on  the  ae^iinisoa^ltMlIt 
-^^  £M^tii^6k*r'aiidf  ot^^.  dil$tft!to  'Awinm>^^tli0bmg^ 
^^'^^ip^tM^mt^im,'^^         be  |]tdv%ed.  %»,^ 


'MUgiind^  1^'^i^M^'biMil4iilliiti«^^ 


»-^ 


Wf 


4 


ft 


w 


o 


464 


MS.  UNCh  AND  JuOBD  UAWKmVUUJ, 


it 


••<» 


t 


.•'.H. 


%i' 


yrritten  ft  note  to  Lord  Hawkesbary,  iDquirlng  vb^th«r 
the  British  government  had  received  ftom  the  govern^ 
ments  of  France  and  Spain  ai^  oommunication  relating 
to  the  cession  of  Louisiana,  and  whether  his  Britaaaic 
Mfjetty  had,  in  any  manner,  acquiesced  in,  or  sanctioned 
the  same,  so  as  to  impair  or  affect  the  sti]palations  con- 
eeming  the  free  navigation  of  the  lifisBissippi.  ^Ib  a 
word,**  said  Mr,  King,  *^  I  entreat  your  Lordship  to  open 
yourself  on  this  occasion,  ^ith  that  freedom  which,  in 
matters  of  weighty  coiicerUf  is  due  from  one  friendly 
nation  to  another,  and  which,  in  the  present  instance, 
will  have  the  effect  to  do  away  all  those  misconceptions 
that  may  otherwise  prevail  in  respect  to  the  privity  of 
Great  Britain  to  the  cession  ixk  question.'^ 

To  this  communication  Lord  Hawkesbury  gave  the 
following  answer,  on  the  7th  of  May:  *'It  is  imposaible 
that  so  important  an  event  as  the  cession  of  Louisiana 
by  Spain  to  France  should  be  regarded  by  the  King  in 
any  other  light  than  as  highly  interesting  to  his  Mfjesty 
and  to  the  United  States,  and  should  not  render  it  more 
necessary  than  ever  that  there  should  subsist  between 
the  two  governments  that  spirit  of  confidence  which  is 
become  so  essential  to  the  security  of  their  respective 
territories  and  possessions.  , 

"  With  regard  to  the  free  navigation  of  ^Mississippi, 
I  conceive  that  it  is  perfectly  clear,  according  to  the 
law  of  nations,  that,  in  the  event  of  the  di^ci  of 
Loiiduana  being  ceded  to  France,  -(hat  country  would 
coigae  into  possession  of  it,  subject  to  allithe  engag^3ae|M!& 
whidi  apj^rtained  to  it  at  the  lame  o^  cession ;  and  l^t 
t|M9pr«Mii  governments  could  ccmsequently  al]^<^iio 
oq^i|ib^.  pretext  iw  eidudisig  his  Majest/s  aubl^fstft;  # 
tM^30bpis  o£tl^  XInited  States,  from  ihe  pa^^^iiq^^ 
.tyr.riv^,]y^Bpi9Sippiv'v  :;■;.: '\,  ■  ;:,.v-v -■'-./'■  ■ 

^  With  n^egard^ijo  the  <^5C^  qwea*M^1^^ 


t 


^ 


«t' 


WL,Ma0sUKh  IX^  MXWImBV«T. 


4dft 


W" 


(KMi  bftve  no  diAeoHy  in  iaftviliing  yoiiiillfli  no  commiN 
mm^Om  iHiAtever  ha«  bMn  reeled  by  Mi'lli^eaty 
lrQii:tli»govenmi6Dt  of  F!raiH«  or  BtMan^  relalive^  any 
oonT«illiDn  or  tr«aty  for  tho  oMsion  of  I^otilniiDA,  or  the 
floiid%i;  lean,  at  the  same  thne,  most  tml^  a«iire  you 
<ib<tt  bk  Mijesty  has  not  in  any  manner,  direetly  or 
indireoily,  aoqniesoed  in  or  ean^ioned  the  cemioiu 

**In.  making  thia  oomnmnioation  to  yoa,^  jfer  thn 
government  of  the  Uoited  Statet^  I  think  it  right  to 
acquaint  yon  that  his  Mijesty  jdU.  be  anadons  to  lesm 
thdr  aentdments  on  every  paii^  of  tiiis  subject,  and(*the 
line  of  poliey  which  they  will  be  inclined  to  adopt,  in 
the  c^vent  of  this  arrangement  being  carried  into 
eftece  . 

^t  seems  by  a  despatch  of  Mr.  Livingston,  of  the  SOih 
of  May,  that  the  IVench  government  was  stiH  oon^n- 
ing.to  hold  the  same  conduct  with  respect  to  his 
inqnuies  in  relation  to  its  designs  on  Louisiana,  and 
w<ml4  not  acknowledge  that  it  had  formed  any  speeiftc 
plan  with  regard  to  that  province,  oi  that  any  troops 
were.^ing  oa1<;  but  assurances  were  given  i^  hlm^in 
genend  twms,  that  nothing  should  be  done  tlu^  «oold 
ai{^  any  just  ^nnd  of  complaint  to  the  United  S^tefij, 
and  that|  -^on  the  contrary,  the.  vioini^  of  tihe  FNnsdii 
w(|idd  promote  mutnid  Menddiip  between  th^n^  and 
the  Americans.  .  ^  ^ 

At  i«9fc)  on  the  dSth  df  M.M'Jf^*  Livingston  felt  al■^ 
th<;p^  %w4t)f»  1^^  Ma^isqn  that  h^had  l^n^ 

<^tdd4^p?nd^,iiL fiction  to  t^e 
o|%B  l^^en^  governinent  iriih  rei^p^  1|o 

A4iet  is  t<M^;|»^#otj^f^^ 

wf' 

80 


# 


hff» 


Ik 


-^M. 

^s* 


« 


'^ 


f(l 


f- 


m 


uvzvoin^'t  attnrtioiit  xv  wmuKm, 


<ft't-. 


■«V 


Lluife  HP  ddiibl,  bai  ariiaii  from  the  different  KpftMu^ 
imi^Q^Maiioe  and  SfMdn  rekthre  to  the  meaning  of  the 
tern  %nd0iaiiA,  which  hm  been  nndentood  1^  Fnmde 
to  inolnde  the  Floridais  bnt  probftbly  by  Spain-^lMTe 
been  confined  to  the  strict  meaning  of  the  teroLr  Thh 
is  why  I  could  never  get  an  answer  to  my  qneetiom  rela* 
tive  to.the  extent  of  th^  cession ;  and  upon  wliich  the 
French  government  had  probably  no  doitbt,  till  we 
started  it.  Believing,  If  this  conjecture  as  to  the  cause 
of  the  delay  of  the  expedition  was  right,  that  no  time 
should  be  lost  in  throwing  obstructions  in  the  way  of 
its  oonclusioUf  I  wrote  a  note  of  which  the  inclosed  is  a 
copy,  with  the  double  purpose  of  alarming  Spain;  and 
furnishing  her  statesmen  with  arguments,  arising  firom 
the  gc»  '>d  faith  owed  us,  against  giving  their  cession  the 
coi^rucdon  France  would  wish."  The  note  to' which 
Ml'.  King  alludes  here  was  addressed  by  him  to  Che- 
valier D'Azara,  ambassador  of  His  Catholic  Majesty  at 
Paris. 

"  Ou  the  80th  of  July,  Mr.  Livingston  informed  the 
Sebretary  of  State  at  Washington,  that  he  was  earnestly 
engaged  in  preparing  a  lengthy  memorial  on  the  subject 
of  the  mutual  interest  of  France  and  the  United  States 
relitive  to  Louisiana,  by  which  he  hoped  to  convince 
Frande  that,  both  in  a  commercial  and  political  view,  the 
'^pdesession  of  it  would  be  disadvantageous  to  her.  ^  In 
m;y  list,"  said  he,  '*I  hinted  to  yon  my  su0picion8  that 
France  and  Spain  did  not  understaill  each  other  on^itlie 
sn1>ject  of  ^nisiana,  and  communicated  to  yon  my  letters 
td  tile  Spanislt  ambattuidor,  calenkited  to  sound  this^bn- 
finees  and  uocterpoae  some  difficulties  to  ittih  execu^n. 
I&  answer  ocyhrm^d  my  opii^^  Xhavesinitsieti^eei^ircid, 
verb$^  1^  dp^  aflin»^aii»  that  the  FIcp^^A 
'&^t^C^in '^^ec^^ 
ope  <^  liihe  idtdmsti^'l^^ 


j^^y^.. " 


4 


^. 


HlB  TtiWi  OV  TBS  CMKOif  69  LOVniAlf  A.        407 

iSf  Aitieri<>ft,  hy  'LoMr^nk    Ton  oan  eMfly  conceive  my 
i^^Wer.     •  •  •  ♦  #  • 

#  •  '       •  #  •  •  « 

^llie'Frtocli,  yoa  know,  have  ahrayi  extended  it  to 
Bottth  Carolina  aiid  all  tlie  country  on  the  Ohio.  Since 
\h^  poMefliion  of  the  Floridas  by  Britain,  and  the  treaty 
&t^H^f  I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  precise 
meaning  of  the  terms.         ♦  ♦  #  # 

«  #  •  »  •  «  # 

*^In  the  present  state  of  things,  until  the  point  is  set- 
tled, I  think  it  probable  the  expedition  to  Louisianib 
Will  be  postponed.  In  the  meantime,  all  that  can  be 
done  here  will  be  to  endeavor  to  obtain  a  cession  of  New 
Oij^ani,  either  by  purchase,  or  by  offering  to  make  it  a 
pk>rt  of  entry  to  France,  on  such  terms  as  shall  promise 
advantages  to  her  commerce,  and  give  her  hopes  of  in- 
Lroducing  her  manufactures  and  wines  into  our  Western 
country.  An  arrangement  of  this  sort,  if  they  listen  to 
itf  woidd  certainly  be  beneficial  to  both  countries,  and 
ooly  hnrtfal  to  Britain.'* 

On  the  10th  of  August,  he  said:  ^Our  own  affiiirs 
have  advanced  but  little,  since  the  whole  attention  of 
those  in  power  is  turned  to  objects  nearer  home.  I 
have^ad  several  conferences  on  l^e  subject  of  Louisiana^ 
but  can  get  nothing  more  from  them  than  I  have  already 
coinmunicated.  I  have  thought  it  best,  'by  conversatioik 
and  by  writing,  to  pave  the  way,  prior  to  my  appHcor 
tion,tiU  1  know  l^ter  to  what  object  to  point  Wot 
thia  pt^pose,  I  hiite  written  the  inclosed  essay,  whieh  I 
haf^  iiiaiislii^d,  slid  of  which  I  have  struck  off  twenty 
copieU;  1  havepliiced  some  of  them  in  such  hands  ad  I 
1|id|^fQl  M  Tall«^nau{has|^o^ 

%o  to^i^itan  litten^ve  pernsal;  after  wl^h, 

"px^p^MoBu    f^ i^5*ttui* iiViloa^ hcwiBvw, 


r^K 


m 


-'^^ 


«t 


f 


♦ 


i>- 


A 


MB,  JjyiNOSTQV^  JTBaOXU^HdMS. 


as  to  w£[tM/  tem^  you  woiild  comileir  it,  as  allowable  W 
offer,  i|  l^iey  can  he  brought  to  eelo  of  the  Mc^i^^m^^ 
e^hm  ll^tli  or  without  ISfeir  Orleans  ;*wrhic!h  last  ph»0^ 
T^lhe  of  little  conseqijence,  if  we  possess  ih«  Sloi$|as^ 
because  a  much  better  passage  may  be  fomed  -oh  tlie 
east  side  of  the  river.  I  nu^  perhapSj  carryvaiy  testis 
mate  of  them  too  high;  bu%  when  I  consid^,  first,  the 
expense  it  will  save  us  in  guards  and  garrisons,  the  risk 
of  war,  the  value  of  duties,  and  next  what  maybe  raised 
by  the  sale  of  lands^  I  should  think  them  a  cheap  pai^* 
chas9. .  I  trustj  however,  that  you  will  give  me  sQm#^ 
directions  on  this  head,  and  not  leave  the  responsibility 
of  offering  too  ntuch  or  too  little,  entirely  at  my  door. 
I  speakj  in  all  tliis  business,  as  if  the  affair  of  the  Fl^- 
da8,was  furanged  with  Spain.;  which,  I  believe,  is  not 
yet  the  case." 

It  seems  that  Spain  was  desirous  that  the  Buchy  of 
Parma  should  be  annexed  to  X^;idcatiy,  which  had  been 
erected/ into  the  kingdom  of  Etruria  in  favor  of  one  of 
her  princes;  that  she  might,  for  such  a  consideration, 
have  been  willing  to  let  the  Floridas  go  wi^  Loimana; 
!(ad  that  some  negotiation  to  that  effect  was  on  foot  let 
that  i^e.?  >= 

Qn  the  Xst  of  September,  Mr.  Livingston  resumed  the 
inter^ting  topic,  in  a  despatch  to  Mr.  Madison,  in  which 
hd  said :  v*I  yesterday  made  several  propositions  to  the 
mini^tef  on  the  subject  of  Louisiana.  He  tolj^  mie  frankly 
that  6[very  off&r  was  premature ;  t^t  the  French  go^ 
y^fninent)  iu^  llffiNpnined^  to.  take  v|^eSsioii  #8t^|  jso 
thait  you  j|i»t#j^^ 

ticnied^  ai$  w$Q  be  J^ea%  in  a^^ 
ev0^jn0ason^jf»JM»^^ih!^^^l^^     $re,  not  j^sl^^ 
I^^  wdl^  ^^^pesent  #iMa^ 
of^SmJia^  ^^ISilMnef^  1^ 


m. 


■^humfoifsom^^AastD  ^tmspBimu^ABrx, 


m 


^ibletcr 


t)efii<ised 
leap  ptH^ 
me  some^ 

ive,  is  not 


,  T-5 . 


Ducliy  «>f 
had  beep 
of  one  of 
aderatiot]^ 
Lionisiana; 
onfbotsfe 

BtiineA  the 
I,  in  "whicb. 


the 


M^ 


^^05^^  iio  fegfeli^^  One  dM  %  ^very- 

aalc^  •  ^  niinfete»  are  nietfe  i^^ 
aJid  G<^i^ii8eU6i»^^^  "^^  Thoiigh  I^h^s^  # 

6vils!^  i^6<rtihg  man  about  him  is  against  this  tnld 
es^dtiaon/liO  one  dares  to  tell  him  so.  WeMit  ttcist  fbr 
thfenn^isiness  it  excites  at  home,  it  woidd  give  iiie  none ; 
for  Jp  am  pi^rstaded  that  the  whole  wiH  end  in  a  relfn- 
qui&tim^t'Qf  thfe  oonntry,  and  twinsfet  of  the  dapiM  to 
thc^  United  States."  Subsequent  events' showed,  shortly 
ailit^^  i^at  Mr.  livingston  had  proved  a  true  jprophet  ou 
tlas  ocoasion. 

f  On  the  28th  of  Octobei-j  he  wrote  to  the  President  of 
th^  Uidted  States :  '"I  had,  two  days  ago,  a  very  inte^ 
resting  conversation  with  Joseph  Bonaffarte,  haviftg|>tit 
into  his  hands  a  copy  of  the  memoir  on'Iittoiaftc^^M^ 
I  sent  the  Se(aretary  of  State.    1  took  occdJaion  to  tfeMI 
him  that  the  interest  he  had  taken  in^ettliiig  ih^^^fi^r^ 
ei^  between  our  respective  countries  had  entitled  him 
tototar  <»)nfid^oe,  and  Ihat  I  should  take  the  lil^e^t^ 
a^  him  his  advice  in  matters  that  Were  Kke^  to  Mlirb 
the  h^mony  that  subsisted  betWeetf  our  respec^vefTe- 
publies.   He  seem^  pleai^d  at  the  obo^hmBiit,  anl  t5ld 
mfe  he  would  receive  with^asure  aiy^x^^ 
I  o6n}d  ihafce,  but,  as  he  Would  nofSd^td  app^&i*^t# 
iul^^f^with  the  minister,  he  begged  iji:ty  doiilfi^^ 
ti^s^g}^  be'MDimaliahd  im^gn^^^  ^ilt 

bdcaose  I  should  act  with  less  dan^  of  c^ii)^!!^ 
of  couike,  wi^  tiadl?*^^ 
'*y|f  imb^not,  how©v«^ 

l!t'a«it«edly%j  iny'birtQrtiBM'^ltf;^^^ 

bat  we  «i?t  ge!^ 

P 


..^ 


I 

i4 


i 

M 
iii) 

I 


470         MB.  UVmOiTO^  i^D  JOeXFH  BOKAfAETX. 


H#;       ''' 


pugkt  otherwise  be  passed  oyer^''  l>|k«Q 
asked  Jiim  whether  he  had  Tead  my  notes  oQ  jMf^i^iinia. 
He  toid^me  that  he  had,  and  that  he  had  coi^Teraed  i^n 
thesnbjeet  with  the  Mrot  Consul,  who,  hefonnd^  had  isead 
them  with  attention,  and  that  his  brother  l)uadto|^]^ 
that  ho  had  nothing  more  at  heart  than  to  be  npc]>nA^(9 
best  terms  with  the  United  States.  I  e^ressed  tq  ,|u^ 
my.  apprehensions  of  the  jealousies  that  would  natora^y 
be  excited  from  their  vicinity,  and  t^®  impossibility  of 
preventing  abuses  in  a  military  government  established 
at  so  great  a  distance  from  home. 

"Wishing  to  know  whether  the  Floridas  were  in- 
cluded (which,  however,  I  had  pretty  well  ascettaiiii^d 
before),  I  told  him  that  the  only  cause  of  difference  tha,t 
might  arise  between  us,  being  the  debt  and  Louisiana,  j 
conceived  that  both  might  be  happily  and  easily  removed 
by  making  an  exchange  with  Spain,  returning  ihep 
Louisiana,  retaining  Kew  Orleans,  and  giving  the  latjber 
and  the  Floridas  for  our  debt,  "   .^ 

"  He  asked  me  whether  we  sliould  prefer  the  florid^ 
to  Louisiana?  I  told  him  that  there  was  no  comparison 
in  their  value,  but  that  we  had  no  wish  to  extend  our 
boundary  across  the  Mississippi,  or  give  color  to  the 
doubts,  that  had  been  entertained  of  the  moderation  of 
our  views ;  that  all  we  sought  was  security,  and  not  ^ 
fusion  of  territory.  He  replied,  that  ,he  believfed  aigr 
new  cession  on  the  part  of  Spain  would  be  ext^«m4y 
difloult;  that  Spain  had  parted  with  Trinidad  and  Lon- 
islfijB^with  great  relucta^ 

Gn^iihe  11th  of  November,  ])ir,  I4vingston  hastened 
jb#  jVlrrite  to  Hr.  Hadis<»n;*|  France  has  cut  the  knot. 
iik»  J^&d^f  r^ktave  to  Panna  and  Hac(^i^,y  ;)|^ 
s|(^p«eid  the  expedition  to  I/>Qisiana,  Jias  ended  bj  ## 
^iking^lposBiession  of  the  ^%  as  you  see  by:  the  enc 
^aper.    Ordc^ps  aire  giyen  for  lie  im^ 


xlP' 


IN. 


iM' 


9 


toll!  hiin 

(tabbed 

were,  in^ 
3cettsdi^^d 
rence  thaitt 
Qixisian%,:| 

ling  <^ep 


le  Florida 
somparison 
extend  ouir 
lor  to  the 
eration  Qf 
ad  not  ^ 
Sjievfed  aay 

d  aad  Im- 

haste^ 
the  kaot. 

^'%' 

m!bari 


DAznfBDb  'fdjisKB''iin>.  oindOLiS  :vioioiL 


4n 


#t^!d<^  j(two  ^demi4»igad^)  ^  1^^  ifiriD 

tiifdl'  ilk  ab^ttt  W^    days  frdm,^o3li^  ^vetn- 

&^t  liiBr$  will  l^iye  no  tSc^svim  io  my  liotcl  dni^  snb- 
j^  ^^Fhey  idfll  say  itolildBg  on  that  d^ot^  lii|li^  0c  c^ 
dor  right  under  %»  ^y^isMi  treaty^  Gy$ii  haa  been 
pireseiited  to  General  ^iiito  is  a  merchani^  &^»m  Im^ 
iinioiia.  Ihe  (skndral  did  not  probably  conceal  his  viewg) 
#hich  aire  nothing  short  of  taking  exactly  what^^they  ^d 
convenient.  When  asked  what  they  meant  to  do  ae  to 
6nr  right  of  ^>i^r^^,  he  spoke  of  the  treaty  as  waste 
paper;  and  the  Prnfect  did  not  know  that  We  had  any 
Btich  right,  though  it  had  been  the  subject  of  many  con* 
versations  with  the  Minister,  and  cf  three  different  notes. 
The  sum  voted  for  this  service  is  two  millions  and  a 
half  of  francs  ($600,000) ;  as  to  the  reist,  they  eiq>ect  to 
comlpel  the  people  to  support  the  expenses  of  the  goyerh- 
merit,  whi<ih  will  be  very  heavy,  as  the  number  of  the 
officers,  civil  and  military,  with  their  suite,  is  great;  and 
they  are  empowered  to  draw ;  so  that  tiie  first  act  of  the 
new  government  will  be  the  oppression  of  this  people 
arid  our  commerce.  I  believe  you^may  add  to  iiiis  an 
early  attempt  to  corrupt  our  people,  and,  if  I  ma;;^  Jt^e 
by  the  temper  which  the  General  will  carry  with  him, 
an  early  attempt  upon  the  Natchez,  which  they  coneiider 
as  the  rival  of  New  Orleans.  If  you  look  back  to  Soirie  » 
of  riaiy  letters  on  this  subject,  you  willfee  my  opinion' d# 
the  necessity  of  strengthening  ourselves  by  iliietid^ 
shijis  at  home,  and  by  alliance  abroad.  iNo  pitid^ee 
wHl,  I  ^Bar,  prevent  hostilities  eve  lcmg;«nd^!|)er|ia^ 
the  sooriar  tMi*  i^ans  develop  themselves  i&e  bettei*;f  \ 
0n  the  very  same  diy ;  he  went  oii  aa^yltjg  i  "  M^Sei^ 
wi^(^  mine  0f  iMs  dat^  I  caiQed  on;  the  l^Mefter  laid 
iiiMed  (m  some  po^tii^e  answer  tci^notei.  ^  He  told 
tiMti^lbB^was  eii^i!^^  th^:^l#$c«ii^ 

to  j^ve^  thi^  moeiti^oti^^ 


y\ 


m- 


^i 


\  :^ 


%' 


* 


m 
\f*' 


¥1 
M. 


ff'f' 


il 


I 


?:"*■ 


%' 


■iV" 


TASLfimAlTD^  J^XJBAWOB^ 


m 


v^e  had  P^^  iiito  #tt'&  Sf^B^^  i&«ii4  niltti^ 

$i  i|^  $q^^n!ri8e  that  thor  offiears  slibiild  ]i^  beMolpiiii^ii 
that  jbe^d,  though  bn  the  e^^  'cxf  d^aiii%v  he^MiMU:^ 
^  me  that  they  wotijd  he  fbmishcd  wHh  coiwifes  of  1*i 
*^|j$aties,  and  directed  to  confbsm  stii^]^  <td«'£hetD«  'I 
as^ed  why  these  as&urancea  were  not  givBi^  t^^'iiie  in  th« 
usual  fom,  by  replying  to  my  notes?  H^  said  that  he 
hoped  .that  there  would  be  no  difficulty  ^zithlith^ad, 
f  when  the  consul  should  arrive  (he  is  now  absent).  I 
have  stated  this  that  you  might,  by  comparing  this  con- 
versation with  the  contents  of  the  letterj  and  the  infoi^ 
matron  derived  from  Clarke's  conversation  with  ^ 
general,  draw  you*  own  inferences.  I  shall  endeavof^^to^ 
d^y  to  see  Joseph  Bonaparte,  though  he  haft  aH  along 
attired  me  that  it  was  the  Consult  intention  to  ciMv«t6 
cmr  fiiendship,  and  by  no  means  to  Md^  any^ng  ^at 
might  endanger  it.  It  will,  howeverj  be  w4H  to-ber^ 
Our  guard,  and,  above  all^  to  remforoe  ihe  Natchez,  and 
to  givje  it  every  possible  commercial  advantage*  If  wfe 
can  i^t  ourselves  in  a  situation  to  prevent  the  danger 
of  hdstility,  I  think  we  may  hope  that  the  dlMaf^sfiUrtkn 
of  the  inhabitants,  the  disappointment  of  ^he  ofi|ee¥8, 
and  the  drain  of  money  which  the  establiiitntsnt^ifi^ 
'  r,  occasion,  will  facilitate  our  view#  after-a  fth<dft  time^^^ 
V  On  the  27th  of  November,  Mri  Madiion  addressed^tie 
^i^erlcan  minister  at  Madrid  %  relation  to*  tii«  ^itro^ii^ 
miation  of  Morales  wMch  prohibited  the  d«^oi^  nt  l^m 
Ch'leans  of  American  efeots,  -ai  sdpnlisted  |>5^^e  ix0t^ 
of  1795,  and  closed  the  IfisBiAdpj^i  to  ^e^^act^md 
cQmmetoe  of  the  tlMl;^  States  from  that  pm,rl3te 
f^bserved  tlmt  this^poM^&g/<>^  ^  ^^^  vimpj^h 

t  a  vio]bi^<3»h:of  that  treaty,  w£%  in  c»nd!i>j»,  k^^ao«ill4rot 
but  inipnte  ittatli^r  to  th6  Intenidiitot  adH^fy  tlfiii^^^ 
inirtrBj&tions  of  his  gofdf^im^t;  'He  '«dicM^^:^i|^'^ 


# 


# 


,..♦ 


# 


IP 


THJB  meVA'  OJT  D17QBIT  AT  JOSW  OELEAITS.        47l 


«©tii  **^?omiA«U»ver  sotiroe  J^e  measi^        iiaye  pro- 
ceedfld*  iihd  jPresident  expects  tliat  the  Spani^  go^^, 
a^^iVUl  iie&hep  liise  a  moment  in  cotmtepmwidii^  ii^ 
n^F  li^sitate  t0  repair  erery  damage  which  inay  result 
feom  it  V  You  are  aware  of  the  sensibility  of  our  ^West- 
ern oifefts  to  isttch  an  occurrence.    This  sensibility  is 
justified  by  ihe  interest  they  have  at  stake.    The  Missus- 
s^iommis&vet^thihg;   Jt  is  the  Hudsm,  the  Betfiir 
tmrsiths  PotoftioGy  mid  all  the  namg<Me  riv&rs  &f^  J,tr 
hrOiG^a^^famiedintooms^eam.    The  produce  exporl* 
ed  through  that  channel^  last  year,  amounted  to  one  i»^ 
Son  six  hundred  aadtwenty^two  thousand  six  hundred^ 
stv^enty^two;  dollars  from  the  districts  of  Kentucky  and 
MaSigsippi  only,  and  will  probably  be  fifty  per  ceiWl. 
more  l&is  year,  from  the  whole  Western  countryt    Ken- 
tucky alone  has  exported,  for  the  first  half  of  this  yeafj 
five  hundred  and  mnety-one  thousand  four  hundred  and 
Mri^^mo  dollars  in  value,  a  gj^at  part  of  which  is  n<iw, 
oriiM  shortly  b€^  afloat  for  New  Orieaasf  and  eonse- 
^«Btfy  exposed  to  the  e^cte  of  t^'extrwjfdinapye^ 
ciae  of  power.    Whilst  you  presume,  therefore,  in  jaxdt 
representations  to  the  Spanish  got^nment,'  th^t  the* 
conduct  of  its  office  is  no.  less  <jontrary  to  its  intentions 
than  it  ilNta  its  good  faith,  you  wUl  take  careto  exp)re^ 
the  iitnpa^est  eoi^dence  that  the  breach  <^>Uie  treaty 
wai  be  rq^irted  in  every  ^ay  which  justice  4ind  a  i«gard 
%« frl«ii%  Mighboiitood  «a«y  reqaire..      j  ♦       * 

r  -  %f  •  " 

:SJn,ike^mmi^PE»^'*  .eontHwed  *M£MidkdnyHt  ia  to 
beri^B^^^i«^i^|iifen^|i^  wiU  biT  |ed:t9^9^v<il  &em^ 


# 


■^H*'-^»' 


iw  ■ 


* 


;te. 


,* 


*.,  ;?•■ 


#■ 


'^P'^ 


474     uuxaoi^  DrapATOK  oir  €ot02vuL  offioebs. 

ipreati^ire  of  its  miscliieC  wp  liAye  happened.  SJi^d 
lie  pmve  Ad  obethiate  as  he  lias  be^n  igaotioit  <>^ 
wic^Eedf  nothing  can  temper  l^e  irritation  slid  £ridi§n»' 
tiou  of  the  Western  country  bat  a  persnaidon  t^u^rtite 
eneigy  of  their  goremment  Hill  obtain  fhun  the  ^tts^ 
ticeof  that  of  Spain  the  most  ample  redress*      ^ ' 

"It  has  long  been  manifest  that,  whilst  |ha injuries  to 
the  XTnited  States,  so  frequently  occurring  fix)m  the  60I0* 
nial  officers  scattered  over  our  hemisphere,  and  in  our 
neighborhood,  can  only  be  repabed  by  a  resort  to  their 
respective  sovereigns  in  Europe,  it  -mil  be  impoeslbl^'t^l 
guar^  against  most  serious  inconveniences.  The  inataniiil 
before  us  strikes  with  peculiar  force,  and  presents  an 
occasion  on  which  you  may  advantageously  suggest  to  the 
Spanish  government  the  expediency  of  placing  in  thehr 
imnister  on  the  spot,  an  authority  td  control  or  eCMrrect 
the  mischievous  proceedings  of  their  colonial  officers 
towards  our  citizens ;  without  which  any  one  of  fifteen 
or  twenty' individuals,  not  always  among  either  the 
wisest  or  best  of  men,  may,  at  any  time,  threaten  tl^ 
good  understanding  of  the  two  countries.  The  distance 
between  the  United  States  and  the  old  continent,  and^ 
the  mortifying  delay  of  explanations  and  negotiafsons 
Aicross  the  Atlantic  on^emergencies  in  our  neighborhoocl^ 
render  such  a  provision  indispensable,  and  it  cann6t  be 
long  before  aU  the  governments  of  !Europe,  having 
A&erican  colonies,  must  see  the  policy'!of  making  it.^' 

It  is  evident  that  there  was  a  mareh  ^  events  whic^^' 
if  not  checked,  would  soon  have  broi^t  on  a  critos  of  ^ 
the  most  s^ous  nature.    Mr.  livingston  had  now  been 
twelve  months  in  Paris,  ^$M  had  not  been  so  fortnnati'' 
as  to  receive  a  conclusive  foswer  in  any  one  of  the  affioiA 
that  he  ha4  had' ^6^  transact  with  the  Minist^  df  iB^- 
U^^  ^Rela^ions.    This  state  <]€  things  WM  iMiciQiiu^ 
mtdMuf^  and.  wi^,  certainly  oflbns^e  ^th^^&gi^^ 


^j 


.?*• 


M 


naaifttl^  wMoh,  t^ngli  coiiip«ra%47  weak  at  n^.tune^ 
0til|  lud  i^e  oooBciovMieBS  of  ito  glowing .  strength  and 
«|fJ^p|roiiil  destinies.  In  relation  to  the '  mgns^li^ble 
^fih^  end  inysterious  reserves  on  the  part  of  France, 
I^Myingston,  on  the  ^th  <^  Beoember^  thuS  n^rOte  to 
a  l^rench  statesman:  ''. Congress  are  now  in  session; 
they  will  infey  feom  every  paper  submitted  to  thcim  by 
the -Pi^ident,  that  the  French  government  are  disposed 
to  show  them  bnt  little  attention.  The  obscurity  that 
ooyerSrthe  designs  of  France  on  Louisiana  (for  not  the 
leest  light  can  I,  officially,  obtain  on  the  subject)' will 
d0vible  their  apprehensions ;  this,  added  to  the  clamors 
of  ruined  creditors,  and  the  extreme  severity  wi^ 
which  CiOOfie  of  their  citizei&  have  been  treated  in  Bt 
Domingo,  And  the  extraordinary  decisicms  of  the 
Connctl  of  Prizes,  <&c.,  will  leave  a  6ur  field  for  the 
intrigues  of  the  enemies  of  France,  and  even  enlist  the 
be^  patriots  of  America  on  their  side.** 

lA.  few  days  before  (15th  December)  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  in  a  message  to  Congress^  had  thns 
expressed  hia  sentiments  to  that  body  on,  this  i^M^resting 
subject :  ^^The  cession  of  the  Spanish  provinee  of  l^on- 
isiana  to  France,  which  took  place  in  the  counge  of  the 
late  war,  will,  if  carried  into  effect,  make  a  change  intthe 
aspect  of  our  foreign  relations,  whilh  will  doubtless  l^i^e 
j^  weight  in  any  deUberations  of  the  LegisMl%  00^^ 
nected  wi^  that  subject."  Such  language  W.as  su^- 
cii^ntly.  eigniflcanty  land  was  abundan%  justified  Jl>^^ 
ea^StEhgeircumstancee^   .  I  ?  I 

$|iet^9s^^o0sr  avert  our  ej^es  fiiom^e  dipLomatie  cSr^es 
of  ^ip|$^|M^  li^  t^  <^  Qm 

greiKs^in^^  Oa  t^^d  of  Decegb^,  i$^ 

thi^VRpes&tttjaeB^i^^^^^ 
.n|||||g%^,.iiL:;^ii^^ 

r.f  Vib«t^  he- wiullft^^ 


.•4iU': 


#' 


«#s 


-ll- 


# 


lit/ 


-h 


i^ 


i     ^ 


m 


f 


THE  F9BSIDEM7  TO  XOmtOaS. 

♦  ■ 


of  tl^i^figatioiid  to  mftintaia  in  dU  cases  thevTig¥%'€f 
tW  Bi^os,  and  to  employ  for  tlifCb  inirpoae  tliose^^^^t 
aijid  !tete<i9able  means  wUch  belong  io  the  ohataotcfiN^f  > 
ihe  tFnited  States  f— to  whieh,tliatbodyj  shortly  i^ftWi 
replied :  "  That  relying,  with  perfe?5t  confidence,  on  the 
wisdom  and  dgilance  of  the  Executive,  they  wonld  wait 
the  issne  of  such  measures  as  that  department  of  thegoy/T 
element  should  have  pursued  for  asserting'the  ri^ts  of 
the  United  States — ^holdiag  it  to  be  their  duty,  at  the 
same  time,  to  express  their  unalterable  determination  to 
maintain  the  boundaries  and  the  rights  of  navi^tion  and 
commerce  through  the  river  Mississippi,  as  established 
by  existing  treaties." 

Before  the  gathering  of  the  storm,  which  already  darkr 
ened  the  horizon,  it  became  the  pilot  who  held  the  helm 
of  the  State  to  look  round  for  aUthe  resources  he  had  at 
hand,  and,  on  the  10th  of  January,  1803,  the  President 
wrote  to  Mr.  Monroe :  "I  have  but  a  moment  to  inform 
you,  that  the  fever  into  which  theWestem  mind  is  throtrn 
by  the  affair  at  Kew  OrleanSj  stimulated  by  the  mercan? 
tie  and  generdif  the  federal  interest,  threatens  to  over- 
tififtr  our  peiwew  In  this  situation,  we  are  obliged  to^o^ 
on  you  for  a  temporary  sacrifice  of  yourself,  to  i^event 
1^8  gresfctest  of  evils  |n  ike  present  proffperous  tide  cl 
t^^&tk  r  shall  to-morrow  nominate  you  to  the  Senat^i 
ft^n^  extraordinary  mission  to  F^^noe,  and  the  ^ii?' 
^^nt^tances  toe  such  as  to  render  it  imposdble  ta  ^ 
(^  I  because  the  whole  public  hope  mJlhmest^i:m^ 


f) 


^ihe  Senitf»  h«vit^"«ancti<^^ 
J0iaiim  again^  #»otei  on  tiw^ 
sii^  in  #h<m  he  repo|^  sae^  impliiat 


*• 


;^ 


<-^ 


^^ 


TBS  sgmamtn  TO  momoM, 


^^^^ 


wvto'^lid  pnblk^'  M  I  teir  xi(l«]4pg  which'  would 
pit»^(i»  Rnch  a  diobk}  ibr  dii  lihe^Vint  of  l^lub  midBion 
d^>eiid  %  jfot^^^^  of  ihis  B^pnblic.    If  we 

tafi$^  by  a  pnirohaee  of  the  country,  ensiiFe  to  piii«^ve3 
a  ipmrs^  <^  pei^nal  peace  and  £rieiids%>V;With  all 
iiatio|i%ithe%  a»  war  cairnqt  b^  far  distant,  it  behoves 
lu  idHmediatdy  to  be  preparing  for  that  course,, without, 
howdver,  hastening  H;  and  it  may  be  ne^ei'sary  (pa 
your  failure  on  the  continent)  to  crosa  thc»cDannel. 
We  shiM  get  entangled  in  European  politics,  and,  figur- 
ing more,  be  much  less  happy  and  prosperous.  This  can 
otily  be  prevented  by  a  successftil  issue  to  your  present 
mission.  I  am  sensible,  after  the  measures  you  have« 
taken  forgetting  iiito  a  different  line  of  business,  that  It 
will  be  a  great  sacrifice  on  your  part,  and  that  it  pre- 
seutSj  £rom  the  aeason  and  other  circumstances,  serious 
diffi^ties.  But  some  mln  are  bom  for  the  y)tibjiic. 
Natnre,  by  fitting  tham  for  the  seryioe  of  the  hu^i^ai^ 
race  on  a  broad  scale,  haei  stamped  thom.with  the  eyir 
dences  of  their  destination  and  their  duty."* 

On  the  1.4th  of  February  (1803)  Mr.  Boias,  firom  B^c^ 
sy|y;aniiii^  said  in  the  Senate :  "  He  was  fully  awape  i^t 
the  Ezeeutiye  of  the  United  States  haid  aojbed ;  tliat  .he 
had  sent  an  Envoy  Extr«vrduilu7<  to  Europe. ,  1%!^  wi^ 
tlwi  ^peculiar  province,  and,  perhapf,  the  dpity  ;df  ^e, 
Frenident.  He  would  not  say  that  it  was.  jutwise  ^  iihiB 
state  of  our  i^ks  to  prep{^  for  remonstrance  and  n^p* 
tiation^  miph  less  was  he  then  abpnt  to  propose  any  m,e&. 
sure  that  would  thwart  negotiation  or  embaixass  the 
!l^!«lddfliit.f  Oa  thet  other  hMid,  h^  w;as>  cQin^Qe^,;!^ 
more  than  aegotitttdoB,  wa«.«b^lntel^  nece^eu^i  iM' 
mooie  pamm  wA  ii^<»re,^niea]^  jOOipi^t  to  b^  .g^Vi^  ^  ^ 
Freio^si^  in  puder  Ito  x^4er:  }M$.Mgl^tia,^])|  fffica^i# 


#  Mm  MMii«i.'Hiit«r  •f  Loay«^ 


►,< 


* 


;^ 


# 


MA. 


^ 


'P^ 


478 


1XKBATS&  VX  OOXOBBae. 


ConldHie  Prendent  proceed  fbHto  eyieii  il  Ho  ^(mjjkd 
more  y^orous  measm^s  proper  and  lacpd^^entt  ^Mt 
in  bit  power  to  repeal  and  pnnish  th^iiidignit)!  patiVpon 
the  nation?  Could  he  nse  the  pttblit^lbroe  to  nmeas 
onr  wrongs  f  Onrtainly  not.  TUb  must  be  the  lict  of 
Qongre».  They  are  now  to  jndge  of  ulterior  meamam} 
they  must  give  the  power,  and  vote  the  means  to  tindh 
cate,  in  a  becoming  manner,  the  wonnded  honor  and  the 
best  interests  of  the  country.  > '  i*' 

^*To  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  we  had  an 
nndoubted  right  from  nature,  and  firom  the  position^  6f 
our  western  country.  This  right  and  the  right  of  depdiit 
in  the  island  of  New  Orleans,  had  been  solemnly  ad^iv- 
ledged  and  fixed  by  treaty  in  1Y96.  That  treaty  had 
been  In  actual  operation  and  execution  for  many  years ; 
and  now,  without  any  pretence  of  abuse  or  violation  oil 
our  part,  the  of&cers  of  the  Spanish  Government  deny 
that  right,  refuse  the  place  of  deposit,  and  add  the  most 
offensive  of  all  insults,  by  forbidding  ns  from  landing  on 
any  part  of  their  territoiy,  and  shutting  us  out  a»  a  eom- 
mon  nuisance.  ^ 

"  By  whom  has  this  outrage  been  offered  ?  By  those 
who  have  constantly  acknowledged  our  right,  and  noiv 
tell  us  that  they  are  no  longer  owners  of  the  coiintrj^l 
Th^  have  given  it  away,  and,  because  *;hey  have  no 
longer  a  right  themselves,  therefore,  they  turn  us  out, 
who  have  an  undoubted  right.  Fortunately  for  thk 
fcbtitttry,  there  could  be  no  doubt  in  the  prAnt  eas*  j 
our  national  right  had  been  aeknowle%ed^  and  solemnly 
jBectired  by  treatf  .  It  was  violated  iiiid  ^^iedwil^eiiit 
provoealdon  or  apology;  The  treaty  then  lra»' |i<>>  i^iiJil- 
1%.  His  evIdiBHt  rights  was  one^  the  securiity^pl?wl|ftk 
dt^t  not  to  be  pree^^tus ;  it^asind^pensa^lei^^i^ 
l0i^](gyyih^t  of  it  fihonld  be  plais^  l)ey6nd^^(^ifete  p^ 
It^th^efbre,  to  be  hi«  fixtnli^ 


« 


":k 


'ji 


A 


$ 


Mii  Momm  CTi  onrAxs. 


479 


tW*  iir  importune  A  ri|^t  would  nmw  be  fleoore,  wliile 
iito^MCwdr  of  t^  BfifltbilptA  was  eidudvely  in  the  hands 
fil%iiu«ida  C^priee  and  enmity  ooeariou  oomtant  in- 
tenr^ptioiu  VtHm  the  vefy  poaition  of  our  comitvy,  from 
Hi'lraogMtpldcal  ahape,  from  motives  of  complete  inde- 
pendenoe,  the  command  <^  the  navigation  of  tlie  river 
onght  td-he  in  oar  handSk 

'"We  are  now  wantonly  provoked  to  take  it.  Hos- 
tility in  its  moat  offensive  shape  has  been  offered  by  those 
who  diselium  all  right  to  the  soil  and  the  sovereignty  of 
that  coantry~Hin  hostility  fiital  to  the  happiness  of  the 
Western  Wwld.  Why  not  seize  then  what  is  so  essen- 
tial to  ns  as  a  nation  t  Why  not  expel  the  wrongdoers  9 
Wrongdoers  by  their  own  confesnon^  to  whom  by  seisnre 
we  are  doing  no  injury.  Paper  contracts,  or  treaties, 
have  i»roved  too  feeble.  ^Flant  yourselves  on  the  river, 
fol^  the  banks,  invite  those  who  have  an  interest  at 
staked  t6  defend  it;  do  justice  to  yourselves  when  your 
adversaries  deny  it ;  and  leave  the  event  to^  Him  whb 
controls  the  fate  of  nations. 

"  W^y  submit  to  a  tardy,  uncertain  negotiation,  ai6  the 
&alf  m'&aaiB  of  regaining  what  you  have  lost^— a  n<^^- 
iAtn  with  those  who  have  wronged  y^oti ;  with  thoae  >id|o 
declare  they  have  no  right,  at  the  i^ment  ihey  depllve 
you  of  yours  ?  When  in  *  possession,  you  will  neg^iate 
with  more  advantage.  You  wUl  then  be^  the  oonditlbn 
fo'keep  otheMi  out.  You  will  be  in  the  actual  c^en^pe 
of '"jiltia^Myn  over  aU  your  clainiai  yoor  people^'lrill 
hii)f^  tlie  b^efits  of  a  lawful  commerce.  W^en  ypur 
^£$iiKiia^natioii  is  Iqiown^  will  xni^eBi)^  easy  and  an 
l»3iomM»iiioocaJa^  witb  mpoi^M^a^ 

f^sem^pmrntm  pr«(;j9iiGe  to  oon^aiit^^ 

f^Wdetjant '|ii§^         d^^s^l^^^.c|NiH^ 


t 


kn 


^. 


pP 


48^1^ 


v| 


HouBi  OF  vtnmJtmAWim  to  tki  senate. 


t 


fill  ftr^tttly  rapport  yon  in  the  wmtmK  if  i^  oon^l^ 
0011169  Af^sMsary.  Their  ail  will  be  at  i^e,  and  lyeithei 
their  jBealnQr  their  ooorage  need  be  doi|bted.        . 

*VBat  after  negotiation  shall  have  Mv4»  a^  a  pow- 
erful, ambitioiu  nation  shall  h»ve  taken  poeiMisioA  cl  ikp 
hey  of  your  Western  country,  and  forti^  it ;  nl^  the 
garrisons  are  filled  by  the  veterans  who  have  conqnesed 
the  East,  will  yon  have  it  in  your  power  to  awakjB^he 
generous  spirit  of  that  country  and  dispossess  them  I 
No;  their  confidence  in  such  rulers  will  be  gone;  they 
will  be  disheartened,  divided,  and  will  place  no  fiirther 
dependence  upon  you,  They  must  abandon  thosf  who 
lost  the  precious  moment  of  seizing,  and  for  ever  securing 
their  sole  hope  of  subsistence  and  prosperity ;  they  mufrti 
then,  from  necessity,  make  the  best  bargain  they  em 
with  the  conqueror." 

On  the  15th,  a  confidential  ft<9ssag^  was  brought  from 
the  House  of  Hepresentatives  to  the  Senate,  transmitting 
to  that  body  a  bill  which  had^pafi|sed  the'  House,  ^^^^ 
enable  the  J^resident  of  the  United  States  to  coimnenee 
with  more  effect  a  nc^tiation  with  the  Freanh  and 
Spanish  governments,,  relative  to  the  purchase  of  the 
island  of  l^ew  Orleans,  and  the  provinces  of  £ast  and 
West  Florida."  This  bill  placed  two  millions  Cff  dollar^ 
at  the  disposal  of  the  President,  and  the  impression  got 
abroad  that  ihia  sum  was  to  be  used  to  secoHiKtEe  asnst- 
ance  of  some  powerful  personages  in  Paris  «p43ladri^ 
in  the  negotiation  winch  wfis  to  be  opened^  wUh  fVaiio^ 
and  Bpfun.  -> 

-On  the  16thf i^  JU^ss^agiim  ,tool|#^ fioor^  mim^ 

r^iiess^intp  |h»r  o^J^f^^ 
know,"  saidLJi%  ^^biatjoii^^^p^^ 
p^ode  of  ^c<^i]D^lii^ 


^i 


MB.  BOflt^  ii»oi.imon. 


481 


libiiorJilBary  proceeding,*  I  am  fbrbldden  to  speak  oo 
tliia  oeeaiion ;  I  \vill  not^  therefore,  tooeh  it  But  I  will 
ask  honorable  gentluueo,  eapeoially  those  from  the 
Weiteru  comitry,  what  they  will  lay,  on  their  return 
home^  to  »-  people  pressed  by  the  heavy  hand  of  this 
oakn^,  when  they  inquire:  What  has  been  done? 
Wh9t  are  oar  hopes  ?  How  long  will  this  obstmction 
continue 9  Yon  answer:  We  have  providec^a  remedy, 
but  it  is  a  secret!  We  are  not  allowed  to  speak  of  it  * 
lihere,  mnch  lets  here;  it  was  only  communicated  to 
confldential  men  in  whispers,  with  closed  doors ;  but,  by 
and  by,  you*  will  see  it  operate  like  enchantment ;  it  is 
a  Sovereign  balsam  which  will  heal  your  wounded  honor ; 
it  i*  a  potent  spoil,  Or  a  kind  of  patent  medicine,  which 
wDl  extinguish  and  for  ever  put  at  rest  the  devouring 
spirit  which  has  desolated^  so  many  nations  of  Europe. 
Yon'  nsvto  can  know  exactly  what  it  is :  nor  can  we 
tell  you  precisely  the  time  it  will  begin  to  operate; 
btti operate  it  certainly  will,  and  effectually  too!  You 
wiU  see  strange  things  by  and  by ;  wait  patiently,  and 
place  Ml  faith  in  us,  for  we  cannot  be  mistaken  I — ^This 
idle  tide  may  amuse  children.  But  the  men  of  that 
country  will  not  be  satisfied.  They  will  teU  you  that 
they  expected  better  things  of  you,  that  their  confidence 
has  been  misplaced,  and  that  they  will  not  wait  the 
opsflfation  of  your  newly  invented  drugs;  they  will  go 
and  redress  themselves." 
-Then  Mr.  Boss  read  the  following  series  of  Besolu- 

tions: 

^MestHmA^  That  the  United  States  have  an  indiS|)tttar 
b|e  iHghi  to  the  free  nnvigation  of  the  river  Mississippi, 
and  to  a  conyoatet^  plaee  of  deposit  for  theh*  prodn^ 
and1iittl7«3iiai3i^ 

'^'ll^theJiiiiii^^ 
riglHrii  an  aggresstoii  liifii^W  ll^lr  io^       ^rest. 

81 


>. 


^S■ 


^183 


MR.  imsmB  SPEEGB  m  qS3i  SBI^ATB. 


%  \  *tTh»t  it  does  aot  consist  ^^^^  t%ii%^^,i 
of  this  tJmon  to  hold  a  r^;iijt  so'impipttant  bj^At^opre 
80  uncertain.  r    ■; 

*^  That  it  materially  concerns  sneh  di^the  Aioeslci^ 
citizens  as  dwell  on  tfa^  W^tem /watery and  is  essenit^ 
to  the  union,  strength  and  prosperity  <^  thetie  Statfl%>^t 
they  obtain  coinplete  security  for  the  Ml  aad  peacefl(b|6 
enjoyment  of  such  their  absolute  ri^t.  ,, ;     v  v 

"  Hiat  the  President  be  authori^d  'to. take^immediilte 
possession  of  such  place  or  places,  in  the  same^  iBland,,i)r 
the  adjacent  territories,  as  he  may  deem  fit  and  eonve- 
nient  for  the  purposes  aforesaid ;  and  to  adojkt  such  0]^r 
measures  for  obtaining  that  comjdete  soenrlty  iui^'h|m 
in  his  wisdom  shall  seem  meet.  vii^     ;^ 

"That  he  be  authorized  to  call  into  actual  service  any 
number  of  the  militia  of  th%.  States  of  South  Caroliha, 
Georgia,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Tennessee^  or  the  Mississipjpi 
territory,  which  he  inay  think  proper,  not  exceeding 
ififby  thousand^  and  to  employ  them^  together  with  c^e 
military  and  naval  forces  of  the  Union,  ibr  ^cting^^he 
objects  above  mentioned. 

"That  the  sum  of  five  miliions  of  dollaiB  be  appro|^ri- 
ated  to  the  carrying  into  effect  of  the  foregoing  resolu- 
tions, and  that  the  whole  or  any  part  of  that  sum  be 
paid  or  applied,  or  warrants  di^awn  in  pursuance;  of  siiqh 
direction^  as  the  President  may,  from  time  to  lame,  think 
proper  to  give  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treastiry.'* 

These  resolutions  were  seconded  by- Jllr.  WeUs,  fi«m 
the  StAte  of  Delaware.  They  were  taken  up  on  Uie  28d 
of  Ffebrtwiy,  aad  Mir.  "White,  fi*oni??the  same  State,  sup- 
f|>orted  themto  th^'  fuU^t  eadieBt.  vff  As  to  thti^ip^tig 
of  the  putt  of  >t7#w  <M^aiisti^;iama^  ipd 

he,  *^the  niaa  who  c«h  nowd<Mib*,  after  tt^idng^iift^ 
aooonxpanjif^  ek6umB<i«iiee«|  ^t  It  <  wtMilthiB  4ftW^^^^ 
aet  dt  the  ^fur^  ^^^tm^^em^     nuuit  ^ve 


<:S? 


t 


lot;  Wib:^' il?  THfi  WKNA'tiL 


Am 


1^><^^  i^j^  liB^i^iad  a^iSM  tnttil  and  cbtiVic^o^,  tUid  lii^ 
^t^ipted  tct'disiji^edii  0v^  iiKie  isfviderice  of  his  owi^ 
s^^  ^iBijM^  Sii^  itis  iioi  d<^i**i%  tfe^bf  otit^ 

right  of  deposit  ty  vfhitloi  we  have  "been  aggrier^ ;  it  is 
%  a  iystem  of  measiires  ptirstied  airteced^t  and  snbse- 
qtieit  to  that  event,  equally  hostile  and  even  niore 
insulting.  I  have  in  my  hand  a  paper,  signed  by  a 
Spanish  officer,  Which,  with  the  indulgence  of  the  chwr, 
rMlilread^  to  the  Senate. 


," '  AdterUsmmt.  Undef  date  of  the  i6th  iMi  (De^ 
cember,  180^)  the  Intendant-general  of  these  provinces 
tellj8  tiie  tliat  •  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica cak  have  no  commercfe  With  hi»Majes1^-8  subjects-^ 
they  only  having  the  free  navigation  of  the  riVer  for  the 
ekportation  df  the  fruits  and  prodiKJe  of  theif  establish- 
ments to  foreign  countries,  and  the  importation  of  what 
they  inay  #ant  from  them.  As  such  I  charge  you,  so 
far  a^  respects  you,  to  be  zealous  and  vigilant,  with  par^ 
ticuia'r  care  that  the  inhabitants  neither  purchase  nor 
s^  anything  to  the  shipping,  flat-bottomed  boats,  bar- 
ges, or  any  bther  smaller  vessels  that  may  go  along  the 
Sver,  dtestined  for  tjie  Ami^rican  possessionSj  or  profeeed- 
inj^' from  them,  &c. 

"*OaBL08  DE  QfRAmJ^EEi- 

"  These  ^^^' the  measures  that  have  been  adopted  by 
the  Sfaniaipdis^^excluding  us  from  their  v  shores  for  .the 
cBstance  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  milla^trea^g^ns 
like  a  nation  of  pirates,  or  banditii,  whom  they Je^r^d 
to  ^i«t  Ibt  lliM^^^untiy,  Spmt  has  daarad.  us  %  ^ 
tna^  and  )xow  Mdf  ^  d^fiaikee  pshe  is  yet  kirposslasfitioa 

anSS^toiin  ^ni^^p^^      ^Nff  ii  sittftli^  eaey  edit- 
q)jy;f  W€i  ishttt^hi^  io  «lfteimiiteiH^e  6nly  arw 


« 


484 


■iiti,  yfsatsi  vst  t^  idsifAXE. 


w 


# 


inactive  and  unenterprisiiig  people ;  but  hb^  may  a  few 
montlid  vary  this  scene,  and  darken  our  pros^ots! 
Though  not  officially  informed,  we  know  that  the 'Span- 
ish provinces  on  the  Mississippi  have  been  ceded  to  me 
French,  and  that  they  will  as  soon  as  possible  tak^  pos- 
session of  them.  What  may  we  then  expect  ?  When, 
in  the  last  extremity,  we  shall  be  drawn  to  arms  in  de- 
fence of  our  indisputable  rights,  where  now  slumbers  on 
his  post  with  folded  arms  the  sluggish  Spaniard,  w^ 
shall  be  hailed  by  the  vigilant  and  alert  French  grena- 
dier, and  in  the  defenceless  garrison  that  would  tiOw 
surrender  at  our  approach,  we  'shall  see  unftirled  the 
standards  that  have  waved  triumphant  in  Italy,  sur- 
rounded by  impregnable  rampaiis,  and  defended  by  the 
disciplined  veterans  of  Egypt. 

"  I  am  willing  to  attribute  to  honorable  gentlemen  the 
best  of  motives ;  I  am  sure  they  do  hot  wish  to  involve 
this  country  in  a  war,  and,  God  knows,  I  deprecate  it9 
horrors  as  much  as  any  man ;  but  this  business  can  never 
be  adjusted  abroad ;  it  wril  Ultimately  have  to  be  settled 
jipon  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi;  and  the  longer  you 
May,  the  more  time  you  waste  in  tedious  negotiationis, 
the  greater  sacrifices  you  make  to  protract  a  temporary 
and  hollow  peace,  the  greater  will  be  your  embarrasi^ 
ments  when  the  war  comes  on;  and  it  is  inevitable,  un- 
less honorable  gentlemen,  opposed  to  us,  are  prepared  to 
yield  up  the  best  interest  and  honor  of  the  nation.  I 
believe  the  only  question  now  ip  our  power  to  decide,  is 
whether  it  shall  be  the  bloodless  war  of  a  few  monl^,  oi* 
the  carnage  of  years. 

"  These  observations  are  urged  upon  the  stlppoelticfn 
that  Tt  is  in  the  power  of  the  government  to  restrain  thd 
impetuosity  of  the  Western  people,  and  to  prevent  their 
doing  justice  to  themseltes,  which,  by  the  by,^  1  beg  t6 
be  Understood  aa  not  believing,  but  expressly  the  bofti 


»;■« 


UR.  J^OKBOK  m  'mXf^9XX(ATE, 


48e 


twtry.  They  know  their  own  streng<li ;  they  know  the 
feebleness  of  the  enemy ;  they  know  the  infinite  iuapoi"^ 
tance  of  the  stake,  and  they  feel,  pennit  me  to  aay,  sir^ 
wijth  ipaore  than  mere  sensibility,  the  insnlts  and  injuries 
they  have  received,  and  I  believe  will  not  submit,  even 
for  the  approaching  season,  to  their  present  ruinous  and 
humiliating  situation.  You  had  as  well  pretend  to  dam 
up  the  month,  of  the  Mississippi,  and  say  to  its  restless 
waves,  ye  shall  cease  here,  and  never  mingle  with  the 
ocean,  as  to  expect  they  will  be  prevented  from  descend'^ 
ing  it.  Without  the  free  use  of  the  river,  and  the  neces- 
sary advantages  of  deposit  below  our  line,  their  fertile 
c6untry  is  not  worth  possession,  their  produce  must  be 
wasted  in  the  fields  or  rot  in  their  granaries.  These  are 
rights  not  only  guaranteed  to  them  by  treaty,  but  also 
given  to  them  by  the  God  of  nature,  find  they  will  en- 
force them,  with  or  without  the  authority  of  government ; 
and  let  me  ask,  whether  it  is  more  dignified  for  the 
govenmient  to  lead  or  follow  in  the  path  (rf  honor? 
One  it  must  do,  or  give  up  that  Western  country." 

Those  who  were  opposed  to  these  Besolutions  ui^d 
that  it  was  necessary  to  exhaust  every  means  of  nego^ 
tiation  before  adopting  measures  which  would  lead  to 
hostilities,  and  that  it  was  indispensable,  before  doing 
any  thing,  to  ascertain  whether  the  King  of  Spain  would, 
sanction  the  act  of  his  Intendant  at  New  Orleans. 
Among  tbose  who  took  a  prominent  part  against  these 
"  Besolutions,"  was  Mi'.  Jackson  of  Georgia.  "  What  is 
tkeeourse,"  said  he,  "which  we  have  to  pursue?  Is  it. 
to  go  immediately  to  war,  without  asking  for  redress  3 
By  the  law  of  nations,  and  the  doctrines  of  all  writers 
on  them,  you  are  not  justified,  until  you  have  tried 
every  possible  method  of  obtaining  redress  in  a  peace- 
able manner :  it  is.  only  in  the  la£^  extremity, /yrhen  yon 
have  JLO  other  expedient  left^  that  a  Teeourse  to  arms  is 


-MA 


# 


W. 


486 


^"W^*  i "^fci^"!^*^ T"^"™     ^T"     ^*^"^^  i?TTWyP^i,^^^|, 


» 


towfpl  «4  JBf tfj   and  I, hopte  tibfli  IMt0d  %it0»  f 'tiW 
n^ver.fQj5fat  t^^ chiw'acterfof  ^ti<» lijy  iiay %^jM^>^r 
ra^  it^psj  which  they  mny,  too  la^  iift^0  to  to^h*^ 
^-•Tirhfa  tiey  c^n  have  T^uTBO  t9^^ao.^rtih(E*,«ipti^^^^ 
may.  procure  a  redress  of  the  iWyopgiCOinplaJ^iBdof^    f  f 

.f,I  am,  myself^  of  opimtM*  iihat  New  (M^wis  lai^^ 
l(Eing  to  the  ^lilted  States ;  it  most  JSQipae  iPi !»  Jbv^^^ 
course  of  hmnaneveats,  although  notat  the  pre£lfEitv4a3f;ii 
for  I  do  not  wish  to  use  force  to  obtain  it,  ii|  we  9^;^t 
a  redress  of  the  injury  done  to  us;  yet  it  will  nat^idly 
fall  inA  our,  hands  hy  gradual  1?t^  ineT?ttahle^u^«i,5«3 
sure,  and  certain  m  nianufactures  arise  fron^  in0^^a#^d 
popnlatioa  and  the  plentiful  products  of  ^gHi^tuf^j  P-ml 
commerce.  But  let  it  be  noticed  that,  if  .NeWiOtl^^lias, 
by.  a  refiisal  of  justice,  falls  into  our  hands  by  force,  |he 
EJoridas,  as  sure*  as  fate,  fall  with  it.  Groodvfaith  forbidft. 
encroachment  on  a  pacific  ally ;  but  if  hositility -shows 
itself  against  us,  interest  deman(3s  it;  Qeorgi^, in; such 
case  would  not  do  without  it.  (yod  a»d  nat^e  ^ave 
destined,  New  Orleans  and  the  Mondas  to  belong -to^^^^^^t^ 
great  and  rising  empire, ,  As  natural  bounds  to  tjie  South, 
are  the  Atlantic,  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  th^  Mississip^ 
and  the  world  at  some  future  day  cw^j|ot  hold  th.i?)|si 
from  us.  1  i 

"Sir,  we  have  been  told  much  by  the  gentlemanfrc^ , 
Delaware  of  Bonaparte ;  that  he  is  the  hero  of  iVance, 
t^e  conqueror  of  Italy,  and  the  tyrant  of  Germanyjpi 
that  his  legions  are  invincibli^.  .  W^hav^  be©ft  tol4  tjbft 
we  must  hasten  to  take  ppsisesawm  of  New;  Orleans  whilst 
ij| the  hands pf  tihe slug^^SpaniardB, and  nptiW^it ^M, 
it  .is  in  t^e  iron  grasp,,of  ;^e;X388^r;  0^^  t3p#^ 

]^nt  much  as  I  respfict  .the  fam^  and  exploits  oSJ^jpi$$iu^ 
tir»ordinary  man,X  believe,  ^e  should  ha^  li|i|t|e|i%o?59sjfe  ^ 
ff^r  fr^m  him,  should  it  b%  necessary  in  the,  e^d  tp.  jcdir 
tod  with  him  for  the  possession  of  New  %|e| 


MB.  Jii^KeKW-nr  TSA  SBRATIr 


m 


tltiiggiah  %aiiiaird». ;  B<^  Sir,  in  our 

Si^ilkMii  4Xm]i%)  W6tiid  be  loii^  with  a91  hk  martial 
tidei^;  iur  IkiHow  Bq^oaptiB  and  horse  artillery  trould  be 
dfllKs^i^rvieetta  bim  is  the  midst  of  our  naoniases  and 
wdodil^  '^^^  lie  woqM  meet,  not  with  the  efaampaign 
o6|E^it#]pf<tf"itafy'-^with  the  little  riynletsipt^mmanded  byi 
Wi  ca^iMi^  Whidi  he  eottld  pass  at  leiiBnre— not  With  for- 
liified-^itieB  which  command  sorronnding  distripteh^bnt 
Ni^  't^eiv  Buleii  wide;  and  swamps,  mortal  or  impene- 
trable to' Enropeaiffl.  With  a  body  of  only  ten  thousand 
of  onre^i^rt  riflemen  aroond'him^  his  laurels  wonld  be 
toi^  ^omihia  brow,  and  he  would  heartily  wish  himself 
once  mbre^  safe  on;  the  plains  of  Italy. 

•^*ljinfat^  Sir;  would  be  forty  or  filfey  thousand  French, 
in  those  impenetrable  forests^  to  the  hosts  which  would  be 
pbm^d  down  the  iMississippi  ?  But  should  Bonaparte 
send  an  army  of  forty  thousand  men  here,  and  should 
they  mot  be  destroyed  by  our  troopsj  they  Would,  within 
twenty  years, 5 become  Americans,  and  join  our  arms; 
they  would  form  connexions  with  our  female,  inter- 
marry with  them^  and  insensibly  change  their  habits, 
thoir  manners,  and  their  language.  No  other  people 
em  loniE^  esdst  in  the  viciniby  of  those  of  the  United 
States,  without  intermixing  and  vultimot^  joining  with 
l^em.  ■-V:^.;-/ 

i#lhe  saered  name  of  Washington  luis  been  unneces^ 
sarily  appealed  to;  <m  this  as  on  many  pl^er  occasions;, 
atid  we  hftVe  been  boastii^ly  told  that,  in  his  time,  no 
itt^ljfik  id^d  ito^^  us.    Much,  Sirf  as  I  reyere  his 

^tnory;  ackndwledging  him  among  the  fathers  ^f  Ua 
ci^try-^Wai  thid  the  fiict  i  Was  he  not  insulted^— was 
mot  the  nations laisultedunde^  his  adminktration  9  How 
caiae  the  posts  i^bevdetiuaed  alter  ihe  definitive  trea^ 
%ith  Great  Br^akl  What  dkliatedl^t  inhuman  deij|^ 
hx;»TOBiicidVdiMilx^^ 


# 


m 


UR.  JJiOKSOK  IV  TSPIiWaSfATSi 


■# 


•t 


chestei'^s  insolent  and  savage  spqech  to  thd  hordes  of 
Indians  on  onr  frontiers,  to  massacre  our  inhabitants 
without  distinction  ?  Were  those  not  insults?  Or  have 
we  tamely  forgotten  themi  Y^t^Sir,  did  Washington 
go  to  war  ?  lie  did  not ;  he  preferred  negotiation  and 
sent  an  envoy  to  Britain ;  peace  was  obtfdnedby  atreaty 
with  that  nation — ^I  shall  not  inquire  at  whai  price-— l>ut 
these  w^  the  steps  taken  by  him.  Shall  we  then  bot 
negotiate  ?  Shall  we  not  follow  the  leading  feature  0f 
our  national  policy  ?  I  hope  we  shall,  and  by  doing  so, 
we  shall  become  unanimous.  We  are  all  actuated,  I  hope^ 
by  one  view,  but  we  differ  on  the  means ;  let  us  do  jus- 
tice by  requiring  our  neighbor  to  do  justiee  to  us,  by  a 
restoration  of  our  rights ;  let  us  show  the  nations  of  the 
earth  we  are  not  anidous  for  war,  that  scourge  of  man- 
kind ;  that  we  bear  patiently  our  injuries,  in  herpes  of 
redref^s,  and  that  nothing  but  absolute  denial  of  justice, 
which  will  be  additional  insult,  shall  induce  us  to  it. 
Butj  Sir,  if  forced  to  war,  contraiy  to  our  policy  and 
wishes,  let  us  unsheathe  the  sword  and  fling  away  the 
seab'bard,  until  our  enemies  be  brought  to  a  sense  of 
justice,  and  our  wrongs  are  redressed." 

Mr.  Cocke,  from  Tennessee,  rose  also  to  advocate 
peaceM  measures:  "When  the  gentleman  from  Penn- 
sylvania" (Mr.  Ross),  said  he,  "  opened  hi&  war  project, 
his  resentment  appeared  to  be  wholly  confined  to  Spain; 
his  sole  object,  the  securing  of  the  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi  and  of  our  right  to  a  convenient  place  of 
deposit  on  that  river.  We  were  told  by  that  gentlet&an 
that  we  are  bound  to  go  to  war  for  this  right  which 
God  and  nature  had  ^ven  the  Western  people.  What 
are' we  to  understand  by  this  right  given  by  God  and 
nature  f  Surely  not  the  righ^  of  depog^tj  £»r  thi^  #as 
given^Hy  treaty ;  and,  as  to  the  ri^ht  of  nai%atiojnf  tih^t 
has  be^  neither  su^ended  nor  brought  into 


•Ill- 


IP 


■.•i■^ 


WBL  OOCCB  or  THX  BWATH 


fii]tc>^4kr0  id^  by  th«  saoie  g^tleroaji,  that  the  poeses- 
Sum  0f  Hew  Orleans  is  neoesflory  to  oiir  compete  seeu- 
titf,  hbimjog  to  the  gentlemaa'aOH^  consdence  to 
se^v^  question -as  to  the  motaUty  o£  takm§  that 
place,  becaiise  it  would  be.  convenient,  I  beg  to  inform 
him  that  the  possession  of  it  would  not  give  oa  complete 
security.  The  island  of  Cuba,  from  its  position  and  the 
excellence  of  its  harbors,  commands  the  Golf  of  Mexico 
as  completely  as  New  Orleans  does  the  river  Mississippi, 
antl,  to  give  that  complete  security  he  requires  of  the 
President,  the  island  of  Cuba  must  likewise  be  taken 
possession  of." 

.  Mr.  Morris,  of  New  York,  maintained  the  doctrine 
that  Spain  had  justified  the  United  States  in  seisdng 
upon  x^eTT  Orleans,  by  her  having  made  the  cession  of 
ifc  without  their  consent.  ^^Had  Spain,"  said  he,  "the 
right  to  make  this  cession  withdut  oui*  comenti  Gen- 
tlemen have  taken  it  for  granted  that  she  had.  But  I 
deny  the  position.  No  nation  has  aright  to  give  to 
auotl^  a  dangerous  neighbor  without  her  consent. 
^■thjsi  is  not  like  th&  case  of  private  ddzens ;  for  there, 
when  a  man  is  injured^  he  can  resort  to  the  tribunails 
for  redress ;  and  yet,  even  th^re,  to  dispose  of,  property 
to,  one  who  is  a  bad  neighbor  is  always  considered  aS;  an 
act  of  onkindness.  But  as  between  nations,  who  con 
redress  themselves  only  by  war,  such  trimsfer  is  in  itself 
an  aggression.  He  who  renders  me  insecure ;  he  wh^ 
hazards  my  peace,  and  exposes  me  to  imminent  dai:^, 
commits  an  act  of  hostility  against  me,^  and  giveft  me  the 
rights  consequent  on  |)hat  act  Suppose  Great  Br^in 
should  give  to  Algi^»  one  of  the  Bahamasi,  and  eonCrir' 
bute  thereby  to  establish  a  nest  of  piratjBa  n^er  your 
coasts^  wo^  you  not  consider  it  as  an  9ggre$8ion?;  Sup- 
poie^^ring  te  lato  you  had  e<m¥^yed  to  Iraoci^ 
ft  tl^Of  liind  aioiigihe  the  jmOxem 


■m 


*i  I 

7i. 

;■ ,  :,,*, 

'!-;■'■ 

'M 

i 

'^H 

?*!■■ 

9t^ 

:!>i  / 

t'.  >,r  . 

L-;  ' 

tiift 


^ 


4m 


1C&  MORBIBt nr  IHB  SKirAtS.' 


route  lyyi^;  lakes  into  Oanada,  would  not  Britaiit  htki^ 
cossidiBfel  and  treated'  it  asim  aet  of  direct  liosi^ity^ 
It  ia  aauii^  the  first  limitatioBS  to  the  exercise  cf  -Ule 
rights;  of  property,  that  we  most  so  nse  our  own  aa  not 
t<;  injure  another;  and  it  is  under  the  imnocdiate  sense 
of  this  restrictioi^  that  nations  are  boand  to  act  towards 
each  oiher.*'  ^^ 

He  further  said  that  l^he  possession  of  Louisiana  by 
the  funbitious  ruler  of  IVance  would  give  him  in  the 
new  world  the  preponderance  he  had  already  obtained 
in  the  old;  that  it  became  the  United  States  to  show 
that  they  did  not  fear  him  who  was  the  terror  bf  ^; 
and  that  it  specially  behoved  this  young  and  growing 
republic  to  interposey  ia  order  to  revive  the  energy  and 
resistance  of  the  half  conquered  nations  of  Europe,  and 
to  save  the  expiring  liberties  of  mankind.  To  this  his 
colleague,  Mr  GHnton,  replied  in  the  following  strftin: 
"  Sublime  as  these  specuktions  may  appear  tothfeeyea 
of  some,  and  high  sounding  afl^they  may  strike  the  eai-s 
of  many,  they  do  not  affect  me  with  any  force.  In  the 
first  place,  I  do  not  perceive  how  they  beai*  upon  the 
question  before  me ;  it  merely  refers  to  the  seizure  of 
New  OrleanS)  not  to  the  maintenance  of  the  balance  of 
power,  Again:  of  aU  characterSj  I  think  that  of  a  con- 
quering nation  least  becomes  the  American  people.* 
What,  Sir !  shall  America  go  forth,  like  anoitier  Don 
Quisote,  to  relieve  d:9t»ress€d  nations,  and  to  rescue 
fix)B4  the  fangs  of  tyranny  the  powerM  States  of  Brittdn^ 
Spain,  Austria,  Itciy,  the  'Netherlands  ?  Shall  she,  like 
another  Phaeton^  mt^y  ascend  the  chariot  of  Empire, 
aiid  spread  desolaibids  and  horror  over  the  worldl  Shall 
she  attempt  to-  restrain  the  career  of  a  nation  which  my 
honearable  coMeague  repres^its^  to  have  beeii  irre^ible, 
an#  wM^  he  declares  has  appilHed  the  B^tish  lion  and 
the  imp^dfift  e%te^  the  house  of  AusMat   Shall  ^e 


* 


mi-'^q^Misw^m.t'jfm-stKjax, 


4m 


WMklKm)^  oomfc  dmUme^fmf  «ikI  tii^^wM^^  idl  tlie  maxims 
of  ]»»H^,i!r)i}^Ha«^  4(%g(mnSL  >ait  in^  fi^ee 
Republic  ?  I^et  us,  Sir,  never^  oai^  qqi^  •  utm^vi^  the 
t9ixit0H«»ol*  other  n^^tions,  waHem  we,  Met  oompwUed  to 
tfk)c»  thfpi  up  in  jielf-defeiMe.  A  pacific  t^mt  >r  is  o£ 
ai^  0^1%  ;iao8t  importanl^  ior  qs  to  estajb^  jmi  Tsmor 
tmu  Wit^^  a  seft  coast  of  two  thoiisand  milea  irdeiited 
with  harboiiB  aikd  lined  with  oitios,  with  aa v^xteiMled 
ccmmeroe^  4nd  with.a  population  .of  six :  milHona  only, 
how  are  we  to  set  up  for  the  avengers  of  nations  3  ,^-Can 
gravity  itself  Te&ma  from  langhter  at  the  figure  which 
my  honorable  colleague  would  wish  us  to  nu^e  on  the 
theatre  of  the  world?  He  would  put  d,  fool's  ci^oa 
tiiur^heii4  and  dress  us  up  in  the  particolored  robes  of  a 
harleqmnj  for  the  nations  of  the  world.to  laugh  at ;  and, 
after  all  the  puissant  knights  of  the  times  have  been 
worsted  in  the  tournament  by  the  Orkmclo  Mma$o6i 
France,  we  must « then^  forsooth,  come  forward  and  con>- 
sole  themioritheir  defeat  by  an  exhibition  of  our  foUiest 
I  look,  Sir,  upon  aUr  the  dangers'  we  have  heard-  about 
tlie  French  possesdions  of  Louisiana^  as  vimonary  aodt 
idle.  Twenty  years  must  roll  over  our  heads  beforl 
France  can  establish  in^  that  country  a  pi^ulation  of  two 
hundred  thousand  souls.  I^at  in  the  meaatime  will 
become  of  your  Southern  and  We^t«cn  States,?*  ,  Are 
they  not  advancing  to  greatness  with  a  giant's  stride  ? 
Th0i  Wdtem  paters  will  then  contamon>thek  boarders 
mipjliQns-  ^of  &ee  and  hardy  republioanSfiable  to  aruel^/ 
every  daring  invader  of  th^  lightft  A  J^nm^ 
na«yi!(f|}l  spring  ^m  the  b^)>som  of  the  Atlmttic  @jM#^ 
r<Mdy  to  i«0e<^  the  maPifee  force  of  «a\yf nation. >  Wink* 
s^ch  means,  wh*t  ^ffUl  we  have  to  fi^ar  Icoinrj^^  i^^ 


m^M 


# 


-f 


i^. 


r  .^ 


ifc 


«" 


49S  MB.  BRSOKBirBIBOX^S  a     jLXmOVBTS'ntM  8XNATB.   ||P 

leBolutioni,  of  ft  milder  oharaoter,  whidi  lli^  'beon  pvo> 
posed  aa  amendments  bj  Mr.  Breckenridge,  of  Kenl^okjTi 
were  unanimousbr  adopted : 

^^Meaokedy  That  the  President 'of  the  United  Stot^ 
be,  and  he  is,  hereby  authorial,  whenever  he  shall 
judge  it  expedient,  to  reqnire  of  the  Executives  of  the 
several  States  to  take  effectual  measures  to  arm  and 
equip,  according  to  law,  and  hold  in  readiness  to  march, 
at  a  moment^s  warning,  eighty  thousand  effisctive  miUtia, 
officers  included. 

"lliat  the  President  may,  if  he  judges  it  e3q)edient, 
authorize  the  Executives  of  the  several  States  to  accept, 
as  part  of  the  detachment  aforesaid ,  any  corps  of  volun- 
teers, who  shall  continue  in  service  for  such  time  not 
exceeding  —  months,  and  perform  such  services  as  shall 
•^be  prescribed  by  law. 

"That dollars  be  appropriated  for  paying  and 

aubsistmg  such  part  of  the  troops  aforesaid,  whose  actual 
service  may  be  wanted,  ?nd  for  defraying  such  otheSj. 
expenses  as,  during  the  recess  of  Congress,  the  President 
may  deem  necessary  for  the  security  of  the  territory  of 
the  United  States. 

"That dollars  be  appropriated  for  erecting,  at 

such  place  or  places  on  the  Western  waters  as  the 
President  may  judge  most  proper,  one  or  more  arse^ 
nals." 

These  resolutions  were  referred  to  Messrs.  Brecken- 
ridge,  Jackson  and  Sumter,  to  bring  in  a  bill  accordingly. 
On  the  26tb,  Mr.  Breckenridge  reported  by  a  b^l 
^^tled  "An  Act  directing  a  detachment  £rom  th0 
mii^^  of  the  United  States^  and  for  erecting  certain 
arsenals  ;^'  and,  on  the  2$th,  it  was  adopted. 

Let  us  now  enter  the  hall  of  the  House  of  B^preseQta- 
tives  and  aseertam  what  had  there  occurred  in  relation 
ta'^ei'samesuhjecti:  -   -    '"'  --     ■"■■■.■'.  -^^/'    ■   ., 


m 


MB.  oBiiwouD^  sMoumoml  m  tbx  uovbi     M 


Oik  the  llth  of  DeoemW,  1809,  John  BanddJ^of 
VixgiaAik  tiiored  the  following  rasolntion  i 

^That  the  President  of  the  United  Staies  be  re- 
qttetted'to  canse  to  be  laid  before  thb  house  snch  papers 
as  are  in  the  possession  of  the  department  of  state,  as 
relate  to  the  violation,  on  the  part  of  Spain,  of  the  treaty 
of  friendship,  limits  and  navigation,  between  the  United 
States  of  America  and  the  King  of  Spain  f  and  this 
resolntion  was  agreed  to  nnanimoosly.  On  th)  22d,  in 
compliance  with  this  resolution,  the  President  laid  before 
the  house  the  required  information.  On  the  81st,  the 
President  made  another  communication  in  relation  to 
the  same  subject,  which,  together  with  his  preceding 
message  of  the  22d,  wfte  referred  to  a  committee  of  the 
whole  house  on  the  state  of  the  Union.  On  the  4th  of 
January,  1808,  Mr.  Griswold  made  the  following 
niolion:  . 

'^Hesohed,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States 
be  requested  to  direct  the  proper  officer  to  lay  before 
this  house  copies  of  such  official  documents  as  hav^  been 
received  by  this  government,  announcing  the  cession  of 
Louisiana  to  France,  together  with  a  report  ezpiaimng 
the  stipulatioiis,  circumstances  and  conditions  under 
which  that  province  is  to  be  delivered  up;  unless  snoh 
dbcuments  and  report  will,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Presi- 
dant^  di^'ulge  to  the  house  particular  transactions  noli 
proper  at  this  time  to  be  communicated.'' 

On  the  5th,  Mr.  Griswold  called  up  his  resolution 
t^e^l^ecting  liouisiana,  and  the  question  to  take  into  con- 
sideratioii  Was  carried  by  85  to  32. 
'Mi*.  Bandolph  moved  that  it  be  referred  to  the  Oo^ 
mlttee  of  the  Whole  on  the  state  of  the  Union,  to  whom 
lii^  been  ebfiaa^fted^  ^1^  B^^  of  ^  Ptvndent 
Tfi^pee^  iii^ii^0^if  of  the  ^nci^mQikiim 
to^^e  Aineinkia^  ^cbt- 


5-^ 


if..  ^  f  i 


wi»a^!t|J 


0M 


# 


i».  t  > 


Wit 


% 


194      iMi;  vtim^tpmitcirm  tar tta mmm, 

fng))i»t#^  SjpAinftiia  tliet/ilBiS  Stst^oh^li^^^ 
that  the  disoiuisibn'  on  both  ^nMdns  m%ht  ^ttibrftct 
point*  mktlf  connected.  Mt.  Sindoltjli's  motion*  was 
carried/  and  the  Home  etpreMcd**' their  tilialtilrable 
deteimfnation  to  maintl&in  the  boundaries  and  the  ^ghts 
of  navigation  and  commerce  through  the  river  MiMi»> 
i^ppi,  as  established  by  existing  treaties.'^  B)it  the  Oo¥U- 
mittee  of  the  Whole  reported  on  the  11th  of  Jannaiy 
against  Mr.  GriswoWs  resolution,  lind  it  was  eonse- 
quen%loet  by  a  vote  of  61  to  85,  as  it  Was  thought 
that;  if  carried,  it  might  interfere  with  the  negotia* 
tions  already  begun  by  the  President.  The  other 
proceedings  and  discussions  in  the  House  oh  this  subject 
were  of  comparatively  little  importance,  and  the  excite- 
ment there  ^ems  to  have  been  less  than  in  the  Senate. 
Affcer  having  thus  exhibited  the  interest  it  took  in  the 
cession  of  Louisiana  by  Spain  to  France,  Congress  ad- 
jbtirhed  Oh  the  4th  Of  March. 

In  thie^  meanwhile,  thfeEtecuflve  had  not  been  inactive, 
and  Mf.  Madi^dh  had  written,  on  the  10th  of  January 
(1803)^'«o  m  UhitedStfites' minister  at  Madrid:  "You 
will  find  by  the  printed  documents  herewith  transmitted, 
that  the  subject  (%hat  had  takien  pliace  at  New  Orleans), 
engaged  the  eirly  and  earnest  attention  of  the  House  of 
Ilepre«tehtativiEa;'^and  that  all  tbe  information  relating 
to  iti  j^d^ses^ed  by  the  Exechtive  prior  to  the' receipt  of 
that  letter,*  was  repo  red  ih  cohsequerice  of  ft  call  for  it. 
1?'dh  will  Md,  alsb,  that  tl  o  House  has  passM  a  resolulion 
e3$lict%  itefelaring  that  t^ie  stipuM^  rights  of  the 
Uhited  Stat^  on  the  MSi^^^^  -^  be  invioial%r 
^*  ^TOfe*  cfispbMi^  bf  toafiy  mem^^ 


%iAiM«l^^t^  aMMWeof  tibiii  {^mdMit^Mfaig  the  p«vl  of  lfi«rOr^«^ 
to  tbe  AwttPieilOS  ▼(II  wiUii^v^  liuiraotioM  froji?  hia  govvrfnnenlif  And  ftdqii^e| 


j»« 


.iv^ 


*^  MB.  mumoB^  tn^Jmm  to  wmmnov.     W5 

giTM  ihe  Mtolation  « t(>iie  and  oom|>l%xioii  still  stronger. 
To  tiiese  prooft  of  the  ieosation  #liieh  has  been  pro- 
dttcedi  it  is  to  be  added,  tbat  repreientatf  ons,  expressing 
the  paenliar  setitibiUty  of  *the  Weatem  country,  are  on 
the  way  fhttn  every  qiiai^fler  of  it  to  the  government. 
There  is,  in  fhct,  but  <b^'  sentiment  throughout  the 
Union  with  respect  to  the  duty  of  maintaining  our  rights 
of  navigation. and  boundary.  The  only  existing  difier- 
ance  relates  to  the  degree  of  patience  which  ought  to 
be  exercised  during  the  appeal  to  friendly  modes  of 
redress.  In  this  state  of  things  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that  the  Spanish  govemntent  will  accelerate,  by  ever 
possible  mean^,  its  intervention  for  that  purpoBe ;  and 
the  Fresideut  charges  yon  to  urge  the  necessity  of  bl 
doing  with  as  much  amicable  decision  as  you  can 
employ.  ■■ 

,  On  the  18th  of  the  same  month,  Mr.  Madison  thus 
addressed  Mr.  Livingston  in  Paris:  ^^In  these  debates 
(of  Congrods),  as  well  as  in  indications  from  the  press, 
you  will  pereeive,  as  you  would  readily  suppose,  that  the 
ce^'^^ion  of  Louisiana  to  France  has  been  associated  with 
the  violation,  at  New  Orleans,  of  our  treaty  With  Spain, 
as  a  ground  of  much  solicitude.  >  Such,  indeed,  has  been 
the  impulse  given  to  l^e  public  mind  by  these^  events, 
that  every  branch  of  the  government' has  felt  the  obli- 
gation of  taking  the  measure  most  likely,  riot  only  to.  re^ 
establish  our  present  lights^  but  also  to  promote  arrange- 
ments by  which  they  may  be  enlarged,  and  more  effec- 
tually secured.  In  deliberotiiig  on  this  subject^  it  has 
app^ed  tot^e  President  thAt  %.e  impottance  of  ^l^e 
cr^  called  fer  the  expeimnent'  of  atoi  ei^raordinary 
misciion,  oavryitigtwith' it  'theweight  attached  to^suehils 
Qieaidin&y  as  weE^as  llie  ad:vantage  of  a  more  thbfRMigh 
^owledge  6i  the  views  of  the  goverattfent,  and  the  sen- 
eSMty  of  the»p«0¥'^^haMftiad^  be^^         conveyed. 


.S'    »» 


'^^ 


m 


496  MB.  MADISOK^B  DESPA!feOH  TO  IlVlK0S7Oir. 


"  Mr.  J^nroe  will  be  the  b^ferer  of  the  instnictioiis 
under  whieh  you  are  jointly  to  negotiate.  The  object 
of  them  will  be  to  procure  a  cession  of  New  Orleans  afld 
the  iloridas  to  the  United  Stfttes ;  and  consequently 
the  establishment  of  tho  Mississippi  as  the  boundary 
between  the  United  States  and  Louisiana." 

Previous  to  these  insiructions,  Mr.  livingston  had, 
on  the  10th  of  January,  sent  a  note  to  the  Minister  of 
Ejrterior  Eektions,  in  which  he  proposed  that  France 
should  cede  to  the  United  States  West  Florida,  New 
Orleans,  and  a  certain  portion  of  the  territory  of  lioui- 
siana:  "These  propositionsf  with  certain  accompani- 
ments,*' said  Mr.  Livingston,  in  a  desj)atch  to  Mr.  Madi- 
son of  the  18th  of  February,  "were  well  received,  and 
were  some  days  under  the  Ilrst  Consul's  consideration; 
I  am  now  lying  on  my  oars  in  hopes  of  something  expli^ 
cit  fi'om  you.  From  the  best  aoeounts  I  can  receive  from* 
Holland,  the  armament  (destined  for  Louisiana)  will  be 
detained  there  till  about  the  last  of  March,  so  that  you 
wUl  not  have  them  in  New  Orleans  till  June ;  a  precious 
interval,  of  which  you  may  think  it  prudent  to  arail 
yourselves." 

On  the  2tth  of  February,  Mr.  Livingston  submitted 
to  the  First  Consul  a  memoir  detailing  the  reasons  for 
wMeh  he  urged  the  cession  of  a  portion^  at  least,  of  Loui- 
siana by  France  to  the  United  States.  "That  France^" 
said  he,  "  will  never  derive  any  advantage  from  the  colo- 
ni«a1don  of  New  Orleans  and  the  Floridas^  is  fairly  to  be 
picsuined,  from  their  having  been  pdeseseed,  for  more 
thim  a  century  past,  by  tluFeedifferefiit  nations.*  W%ile 
the  other  coloi^eB  of  theseii«1a<>n»w«temcreasing  rapidly^ 
th^  have  always  retoaine^WeiilE  and  lEmgiB^  aad  ad 
ezpemave  biu^den  to  i^e  |K)«8eiKM3^    !Even  at  this  mo* 


A 


•  UK*  Itaiol^  «lM  Eogllali,  ana  ^  8putiit»« 


If* 


M- 


IJVING8T02r*8  PBOFOSITlOira  TO  TALL^YBAITD.       4^7 


meaty  wil^Ji  all  t|^  advantages  that  New  Orleans  has 
derived  £rom  fpreiga  capital,  and  an  accession  of  inhabit- 
i^ta  from  the  United  States,  which  has  brought  its  free 
population  to  abont  seven  thousand  souls,  the  whole  of 
the.  inhabitants  east  of  the  Mississippi  does  not  more 
than  double  that  number;  and  those,  top,  are  for  the 
most  part  poor  and  miserable ;  and  there  are  physical 
reasons  that  must  for  ever  render  them  inadequate  to 
their  owiji  support,  in  the  hands  of  any  EuropeiEin  nation. 
These  provinces  are,  however,  important  to  the  United 
States  because  they  contain  the  mouths  of  some  of  their 
rivers,  which  must  make  them  the  source  of  continual 
disputes.  The  interest  that  the  United  States  attach. 
Citizen  First  Consul,  to  your  friendship,  and  the  alliance 
of  France,  is  the  principtd  cause  of  their  anxiety  to  pro- 
cure your  consent  to  their  accession  of  that  country,  and 
to  the  sacrifices  that  they  are  willing  to  make  to  attain 
it.  They  consider  it  as  the  only  possible  ground  of  coir 
lision  between  nations  whom  so  many  other  interests 
unite.  I  cannot,  then,  Citizen  First  Consul,  li^nt  express 
my  doubt  of  any  advantage  to  be  derived  to  France  from 
the  retaining  of  that  country  in  its  whole  extent;  and 
I  think! could  show  that  her  true  interest  would  lead 
her  to  make  such  cessions  out  gif  them  to  t)te  United 
States  as  would  at  once  afford  supplies  to  her  islands, 
without  draining  the  money  of  Fr^ace,  and  rivet  the 
friendship  of  the  United  States,  by  removing,  all  ground 
c^  jetaloiisy<  lidiative  to  a  ipountry  of  little  value  in,  itself, 
aiii^  which  will  W  perpetually  eiiposed  to  the  attacks  of 
h^  liilurdi  eneiQy,  iip^  well  from  Canada  as  %  sea." 

Qn  l^e  2^iClMi^cih,  JiTc  Ma^iaon  f^ 
Ipii^|Q%ipd  Monroe  thek  eredentials  ta  treat  trith 
thei  gi^vei^tunitlit  )E^  the  French^  Bepublic  ,on  the  subject 
(^  ibke  Mifli^^  the  territories  easWi^d  thereof 

an^  without  thid;^li^^:Q^^  "The 

82 


± 


498        OBEDEimALS  TO  HOimOE  AND  LITIITGSTOir. 


'  ^'object  in  view,"  said,  he, "  is  to  procure,  hj.  just  an4  satis- 
,  factory  arrangements,  a  cession  to .  the  United  Statcis  of 
New  Orleans  and  of  West  and  East  Florida,  or  as  much 
thereof  as  the  actual  proprietor  can  be  prevailed  on  to 
part  with."  The  principles  and  outlines  of  the  |>W  on 
which  the  ministers  were  authoiized  to  treat  were  an- 
nexed  to  their  credentials. 

In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Livingston  was  very  pressing  in 
his  endeavors  to  obtain  from  Bonaparte  the  recognition 
of  the  right  of  the  Americans  to  use  New  Orleans  as  a 
place  of  deposit,  and,  on  the  16th  of  March,  he  addressed 
an  energetic  note  on  that  subject  to  the  Minister  of 
Exterior  Relations : 

"  The  First  Consul,"  said  he,  "  has  done  me  the  honor, 
through  you,  to  inform  me  that  he  proposes  to  send  a 
minister  to  the  United  States  to  acquire  such  informa- 
tion as  he  may  deem  necessary,  previous  to  his  tajking 
any  measure  relative  to  tlie  situation  in  which  the 
acquisition  of  Louisiana  will  place  France  with  respect 
to  the  United  States.  If,  Sir^the  question  related  to^  the 
formation  of  a  new  treaty,  I  should  find  no  objection  to 
this  measure.  On  the  contrary,  I  should  rea^y  acqui- 
esce in  it,  as  that  which  would  be  best  calculated  to 
render  the  treaty  mutually  advantageous.  But,  Sir,  it  is 
not  a  new  treaty  for  which  wc  now  press  (though  one 
mutually  advantageous  might  be  made),  but  the  recog- 
nition of  an  old  one,  by  which  the  United  States  have 
acquired  rights,  that  no  change  in  the  circumstances  of 
the  country  obliges  them  to  relinquish,  ipd  whidi  they 
never  wiU  relinquish  but  with  thdr  poUlical  existence. 
By  their  treaty  with  Spain,  their  right  to  the  navigation 
of  the  Mississippi  is  recognized,  and  a  rig^t  of  4epdt 
granted,  with  a  providon,  on  the  part  of  tlie  ^^ing  of 
Spain,  to  revoke  this  right,  il^  within  three  years,  he 
found  it  |»ojadiciaI  to  his  interests,  in  irhich  case  he  is 


f 


* 


% 


■  wiviET 


HB.  ti3rvi!lrMl>oif%'  S  AtlDHaESlQ. 


499 


to  assign  anbtlier  equivalent  establishment.  The  King 
of  Spain  has  never  revoked  that  right ;  biit,  after  having 
made  the  e2q)eriment  of  its  effects  npon  his  interests  for 
three  years,  he  has  continued  it.  The  Uiiited  States 
have,  by  this  continuance,  acquired  a  penn&nent  and 
irrevocable  right  to  a  dcp6t  at  New  Ch-leans,  nor  can 
that  right  now  be  called  in  question,  either  by  Spaiu  or 
Iby  any  other  nation  to  whom  she  may  transfer  her  title. 
Even  the  assignment  of  another  equivalent  esftablish- 
ment  cannot,  at  this  day,  be  forced  upon  the  United 
States,  without  their  consent.  The  time  allowed  by 
Spain  has  passed,  and  she  has  preferred  to  have  the 
dep6t  at  New  Orleans  to  placing  it  elsewhere ;  and  I 
will  venture  to  say,  that,  in  so  doing,  she  has  acted 
wisely ;  for  New  Orleans  derives  its  whole  value  from 
iti  being  the  market  for  American  produce,  and  their 
principal  port  of  entry;  and,  if  this  consideration  was 
important  to  Spain,  it  is  infinitely  more  so  to  France, 
the  produce  of  whose  agriculture  and  manufactures  will 
then  find  a  ready  exchange  for  the  raw  materials  of  the 
United  States.  Under  these  circumstances,  at  the  very 
moment  that  Spain  is  about  to  relinquish  the  possession 
of  that  country  to  France,  she  violates  her  treaty  with- 
out any  apparent  interest,  and  leaves  the  country  with 
a  stain  upon  her  character. 

"  in  what  situation.  Sir,  are  we  now  placed  ?  An  ar- 
mament is  about  smling  for  New  Orleans;  that  port  has 
been  shut  by  the  order  of  Spain;  the  French  command- 
ant will  find  it  shut.  Will  he  think  hitils^lf  authorized 
to  open  it  ?  If  not,  it  must  remain  shut  till  the  Envoy 
uf  ]^*ance  shall  have  arrived  in  America,  and  made  #e 
necessary  inqmries,  and  transmitted  the  res^t  of  tiiose 
inquiries  to  tl^  Mat  Coraul.  In  the  meantrhile,  all  ^ 
produce  of  ^e  States  16 1e^^  itot  upon  their;  haadsi 
There  is  only  on«$  dWoKii  in  iffliW^  iia^^ 


■*Wh- 

■»r..,''f4 

'■■'     '•■!;.■ 


500 


MB.  uvmosTrnM  wsrEm^mc  Aj>j>iima, 


Mississippi  is  practicable.  Tliissi^oii  must  necessarily- 
pass  before  the  Eivvoy  of  $Vance  can  aitive  an^  Jaake 
his  report.  Is  it  siipposable,  ^ipj  that  tJ^C' people  of  the 
Waited  States  will  tranquilly  w^t  the  progress  of  nego- 
tiations, when  the  ruin  of  themselves  ;^nd  their  faninlies 
will  be  attendant  pn  the  delay?  ,  Be  osaiired, ^,  that, 
even  were  it  possible  th&uthe  government  of  the  United 
States  coujd  be  insensible  tp  their  sufferii^,  they  would 
find  it  as  easy  to  prevent  the  Mississippi  from  rolling  its 
waters  into  the  ocean  as  tp  control  the  impulse  of  the 
people  to  do  themselves  justice,;  Sir,  I  will  venture  to 
say,  that,  were  a  fleet  to  shut  up  the  mouths  of  the  Che* 
sapeake,  Delaware  and  Hudson,  it  would  create^  less 
sensation  in  the  United  States  than  the  denial  pf  the 
right  of  depdt  at  New  Orleans  has  done,  fe  I  can 
never  bi-ing  myself  to  believe,  that  the  Fii^t  Consul  will, 
by  deferring  for  a  moment  the  recognition  of  a  right 
that  adnnjbsof  no  disoussion,'l3reak  all  those  ties  which 
bind  theJJnited  States  to  France,  pbliterate  the  sense 
of  past  obligations,  change  every  political  relatipntliat 
it  has  been,  and  still  is,  the  earnest  wish  of  the  United 
States  to  preserve,  and  force  them  to  connect  theu*  iifite- 
rests  with  those  of  a  rival  power;  and  this,  ^,  for  an 
object  of  np  real  moment  *n  its|elf.  Louisiana  is,  ^d 
ever  must  be,  from  physical  canvas,  f^  miserable  cpuntry 
in  thft  hands  of  an  European  poTver."     ;  j  4* ' 

Whilst  these  negptiatipns  were^gpingon^  war  was  on 
the  eve,  oC  bre^»g  out  agap  betwe^m  %eat  Britain 
and^ance,  jiptifl^taiiding  thPihollp^  peac^  of  ABtiicns, 
and,  on- i^et  3d  pf  Apri^  wr^fromljondon 

to  the  Secretary; 9^  ^t«$§  jrf^ 'W^sh^^^m;  "In  a^l^ 
joofersatapnvwith  ldiiv4#d^^bo%  he  pl)S€^ 
^p  irar  hi^a^  pejph^;  Jm  0B||  #^ihetrj^ 

»^^  itc^  ws^^^  I  "^'^P^^  him  Jqr 

J;,hop^^i|ft:;JB]lti^ 


^n.  KINCk  Ain>  MB.  ADpiNQTOXf. 


501 


before  it  should  be  attempted ;  t^at,  trae  it  was,  we 
could  not  see  with  indifference  that  country  in  the  handa 
of  v|Vance;  hut,  it  waa  equally  true,  that  it  would  be 
contrary  to  our  views,  and  with  much  concern,  that  we 
should  see  it  in  the  possession  of  England;  we  had  no 
objection  to  Spain  continuing  to  possess  it;  they  were 
quiet  neighbors,  and  we  looked  forward  withouc  impa- 
tience to  events  which,  in  the  ordinaiy  course  of  things, 
must,  at  no  dtstant  day,  annex  this  country  to  the  United 
States,  Mri  Addington  desired  me  to  be  assured  that 
Bnglm^  w&uld  not  cumpt  Ike  covMry^  w&re  all  agrm^  to 
give  it  to  her^  that,  were  she  to  occupy  it,  it  would  not 
be  to;ikeepit,;but  to  prevent  another  power  from  ob- 
taining it ;  and,  in  his  opinion,  this  end  would  be  best 
effected  by  its  belonging  to  the  UnitecV  States,  lex- 
pressed  my  acquiescence  in  the  last  part  of  his  remark^ 
but  obsei  ved,  that,  if  the  country  should  be  occupied 
by  England,  it  would  be  suspected  to  be  in  concert  with 
the  United  StateSj  and  naight  involve  us  in  misunder- 
standinga  with  another  power,  with  which  we  desired 
to  live  in  peace.  He  said:  If  you  can  obtain  it^  weUy 
otU  ^  not^weougM  ^opreomi  Us  going  mto  the  haruds  of 
FiHmoe^  though  ym  may  rest  assuredy  continued  Mr. 
Addington,  ^f  nothing  shaU  he  done  in^wnous  to  the 
interests  of  the  United  States.  Here  the  conversation 
ended.**'.-  ,.:-";^^>-.v..^:;,';,r. 

On  the  11th  of  the  same  month,  Mr.  Livingston,  whose 
exei:t|on8  were  incessant,  liprote  from  Fans  to  the  Secre- 
tafy^of  ;Stat,e  at  Washington.:  "My  note^  wiT  tell  you 
ho#  far  I  ^ye  officially  pressed  the  government  on  the 
subject  of  IlOtti^|fll^  I  have  omitted  no  means,  in  oon» 
veraataoBi  of  eradic^tmgtl|,^r  prejudices  in  its  favor; 
and^I  ittformed  5«)tt  Aha#  X  hii4  r3*«»8oh  to  ^hink  that  1 
had  l^en  succeas^witib  all^il^^ 
sul,  to  vwjbop  I  aM^I^  W^^i^  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


i 


I 


503       LIVINGSIOK's  OSALINOS   with  TALLEtBAND. 

that  you  liave  seen,  aud  which  were  attentively  read  by 
him,  as  well  as  sevel'al  informal  notes  to  his  brother 
(Joseph).  I  had  reason  to  think  that  he  began  to 
wavei:;  but  We  had  nothing  to  offer  but  money  and 
commercial  advantages:  of  .the  latter,  I  did  not  think 
myself  entitled  to  be  liberal;  and  of  the  fint,  I  found 
^  in  them  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance  to  treat,  as  dero- 
gatory to  the  dignity  of  the  government.  The  al£ur  of 
New  Orleans  gave  me  two  important  strings  to  touch : 
I  endeavored  to  convince  the  government  that  the  ITlu- 
ted  States  would  avail  themselves  of  the  breach  of  the 
treaty  to  possess  themselves  of  New  Orleans  and  the 
Floridas ;  that  Britain  would  never  suffer  Spain  to  ^ant 
the  jBloridas  to  France,  even  were  she  disposed,  but 
would  immediately  seize  upon  them  as  soon  as  the  tran»^ 
fer  was  made ;  that,  without  tho  Floridas,  Louisiana 
would  be  indefensible,  as  it  possesses  not  one  port  even 
for  frigates ;  and  I  showed  the  effect  of  suffering  that 
important  country  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  British, 
both  as  it  affected  our  country  and  the  naval  force  of 
all  Europe. 

"  These  reasons,  with  the  possibility  of  war,  have  had, 
I  trust,  the  desired  effect.  M.  Talleyrand  asked  me 
this  day,  when  pressing  the  subject,  whether  we  wished 
to  have  tho  whole  of  Louisiana.  I  told  him,  no;  that 
our  wishes  extended  only  to  New  Orleans  and  the  Flo- 
ridas; thai  the  policy  of  France  should  dictate  (as  I  had 
shown  in  an  official  note)  to  g|ye  us  the  country  above 
the  river  A^l^aJisaS)  in  order  to  place  a  barrier  bestween 
them  and  Canada.  He  said  l£atj  if  they  gave  ■•'N<§^ 
Orleans,  the  rest  would  be  of  little  value ;  and  that  he 
would  wish  to  know  *  what  we  would  give  for  the 
whole,-  I  told  him  it  was^  subject  I  had  not  thou^t 
o^  but  that  I  suppose^  i^  should  not  object  to  tw^ty 
jl^llions,  ptwid^  (Mo^  ci&ens  were  paid.    Bor  itjolft  i# 


AS* 


LIVINOSTOiir's  DEALOrOS  wuh  tau^tsand.      508 


fciiat  this  was  too  low  an  offer,  and  that  lie  would  be 
glal  if  I  would  reflect  upon  it,  and  tell  him  to-morrow. 
I  told  lum  that/  <»  Mr.  Monroe  would  be  in  town  in  two 
days,.  I  would  delay  my  further  offer  until  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  introducing  him.  He  added,  that  he  did 
not  speak  from  aui'hority,  but  that  the  idea  had  struck 
him.  I  have  reason,  however,  to  think  that  this  resolu- 
tion was  taken  in  council  on  Saturday.  On  Friday,  I 
received  Mi>  Ross's  motion.  I  immediately  sent  it  to 
Mr.  Talleyrand,  with  an  informal  note,  expressive  of  my 
fears  that  it  would  be  carried  into  effect ;  and  request- 
ing that  Genera!  Bernadotte*  might  not  go  till  some- 
thing effectual  Was  done.  I  also  translated  it  and  gave 
it  to  General  Bernadotte,  and  pressed  upon  him  the 
necessity  of  asking  express  instructions,  in  case  he  should 
find  the  island  in  possession  of  the  Americans.  He  went 
immediately  to  Joseph  Bonaparte.  These,  I  believe, 
were  exciting  causes  to  the  train  we  are  now  in,  and 
which  I  flatter  myself  we  shall  be  able,  on  the  arrival 
of  Mr.  Monroe,  to  pursue  to  effect.  I  think,  from  eyery 
appearance,  that  war  is  very  near  at  hand;  and,  under 
these  circumstances,  I  have  endeavored  to  impress  tlie 
government  that  not  a  moment  should  be  lost,  lest 
Britain  should  anticipate  us."— ^Mr.  Livingston  added  in 
a  postscript ;  "  Orders  are  gone  this  day  to  stop  the  sail- 
ing of  vessels  from  the  French  ports ;  war  is  naeyitable; 
my  conjecture  as  to  their  determination  to  sell  is  well 
founded.    Mr.  Mom'oe  is  just  arrived  here." 

Ori^  the  13th,  Mr.  Livingston^  returning  to  the  same 
subject,  s^d  in  a  despatch  to  the  Secretary  of  St^tej 
"By  my  letter  of  yesterday  (he  means  ^letter  Qf  the 
11th),  you  learned  that  the  Minister  (Talieyrand)  had 
asked  me  whetli^r  I  WQU^d  agree  to  purchase.  Louisiana, 


■  ^ 


m 


^ 


m 


m 


ir« 


504 


TALLETUAND  SHKUQB  HIS  SHOULDEBS. 


«. 


ifec,  &c.  On  the  12tli,  I  galled  upon  him  to  pwss  this 
matter  farther.  He  then  thought  proper  to  deolare  that 
his  proposition  was  only  personal,  bttt  still  requested  me 
to  make  an  offer ;  and,  upon  my  declining  todo  fo,  as  1 
expected  Mr.  Monroe  the  next  day,  he  shrugged  up  his 
shoulders  and  changed  the  conversation.    Not  willing, 

#  however,  to  lose  sight  of  it,  I  told  him  that  I  had  lo-^^* 
been  endeavoring  to  bring  him  to  some  point,  but,  unfor- 
tunately, without  effect ;  that  I  wished  merely  to  have 
the  negotiation  opened  by  any  proposition  on  his  part ; 
and,  with  that  view,  had  written  him  a  note  wLiich  con- 
tained that  request,  grounded  upon  my  apprehenaion  of 
the  consequence  of  sending  General  Bernadotte  without 
enabling  him  to  say  a  treaty  was  begun.  He  told  me 
he  woidd  answer  my  note,  but  that  he  must  do  it 
evasively,  because  Louisiana  was  not  theirs.  I  smiled  at 
this  assertion,  and  told  him  that  I  had  seen  thfr  treaty 
recognizing  it ;  that  I  knew  the  Consul  had  appointed 
officers  to  govern  the  country ;  and  tha,t  he  had  himself 
told  me  that  General  Victor  was  to  take  possession ; 
thp-t,  in  a  note  written  by  the  e2q)ress  order  of  the  First 
Consul,  he  had  told  me  that  General  Bernadotte  was  to 
treat  relative  to  it  in  the  Uiiited  States,  &c.  He  stilt 
persisted  in  saying  that  they  had  it  in  contemplation  to 
obtain,  but  had  it  not.    I  told  him  that  I  was  very  ^eU 

^  ^pleased  to  understand  this  from  him,  becausfe,  if  so;  we 
should  not  commit  ourselves  with  them  in  t&kiitg  it  from 
Spain,  to  whom,  by  his  account,  it  atiU  bel<>nged ;  and 
that,  as  we  had  juat  cause  of  complaint  against  hey^ 
ii  Mr.  Monroe  concurred  in  opinion  with  me,  we  sHoidd 
n€^tiate  no  further  on  the  subject,  but  advi^^  o#; 
gqv^nment  to  take  possession.  He  seemed  ahtmied  i>;4 
the  bohiness  of  the  measure^  and  told  m©  h#^woiiM 
answer  my  note,  but  that  it  wcmld  be  evaavdy.  vl  tdi^f 
hiin  Is^iQttldteceii^ any  odmmui^ai^&Qm^^ 


BABI^  UA^BOIS^S  WAtK  iir%!B  GARDEN.  505 

pleastire,  bnt  that  we  wero  not  disposed ito  trifle;  that 
the  tl  .xva  were  critical,  and,  though  I  did  not  know 
what  instraotions  Mr.  Monroe  might  bring,  I  was  per- 
feo^tly  satisfied  they  would  require  a  precise  and  prompt 
hotice ;  that  I  was  very  f&arfiil,  from  the  litdb  progi'ess 
I  had  made,  that  my  government  would  consider  me  as 
a  very  indolent  negotiator.  He  laughed,  and  told  me 
he  would  give  a  certificate  that  I  was  the  most  importu- 
nate he  had  met  with. 

"There  was  something  so  extraordinary  in  aU  this, 
that  I  did  not  detail  it  to  you  till  I  found  some  clue  to 
the  labyrinth,  which  I  have  done,  as  you  will  find,  before 
I  finish  this  letter;  and  the  rather,  as  I  was  almost  cer- 
tain that  I  could  rely  upon  the  intelligence  I  had  received 
of  the  resolution  to  dispose  of  the  country 
V  ^"Hiis  day  Mr.  Monroe  passed  with  me  in  examink^ 
my  papers ;  and  while  he  and  several  other  gentlemen 
were  at  dinner  with  me,  I  observed  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  (Barbe  Marbois)  walking  in  my  garden.  1  sent 
out  Colonel  Livingston  to  him ;  he  told  him  l^e  woldd 
return  when  we  had  dined*  While  we  were  taking  c<^e, 
he  came  in ;  ai'.d,  after  being  some  time  in  Ihe  room,  we 
stroUM  into  the  next,  when  he  told  me  he  heard  that  I 
had  been  at  his  house  two  days  before,  when  he  was  at 
^t.  Cloud ;  that  he  thought  I  noight  have  sometMng  par- 
tieuhtr  tp  say  to  him,  and  had  taken  the  finrt  opj^rtunity 
to  call  bja  me^  I  saw  this  was  meant  as'  an  opening  to 
one  of  those  free  cou^^sationS  which  I  had  freqnentiiy 
had  with  him.  I  accordingly  began  on  the  sitbjeot  of 
tfedet%«ndf elated  to  hmi  the  extraordinar]^  cbndndt 
of  the  Mnisler  (Talleyrand),  <&;o^  <&c.  iid  tcid  me^^liat 
to  soli^i^iii^  impoHanl^  that  haid^^^ 
fsA  to  hiiiQk  at  SH;.  01^ 

piaryv  ne  ihougl^' l'4«^f^i!i*ter  «aft  ^^to*  i^ 


i^'^^ir- 


m 


1, 


506 


THE  BXBUGULE  07  THE  DZPLOMAtlSTB. 


iu. 


before  eleven  Aat  night.  He  went  away,  and  I  followed 
him  a  little  after,  when  Mr.  Monroe  took  leave.  He  told 
me  that  he  wished  me  to  lepeat  what  I  had  eaid  in  re- 
lation to  Mr.  Talleyrand's  requesting  a  proposition  from 
me  as  to  the  purchase  of  Louisiana.  I  did  so ;  and  con- 
eluded  with  the  extreme  absurdity  of  his  evasions  of  that 
day,  and  stated  the  consequence  of  any  delay  on  this 
subject,  as  it  wc.Od  enable  Britain  to  take  possession, 
who  would  readily  relinquish  it  to  us.  He  said  that  this 
proceeded  upon  the  supposition  of  her  making  so  success* 
ful  a  war  as  to  be  enabled  to  retain  her  conquests.  I  told 
him  that  it  was  probable  that  the  same  idea  might  sug- 
gest itself  to  the  United  States ;  in  which  case  it  would 
be  their  interest  to  contribute  to  render  her  successful ; 
and  I  asked  him  whether  it  was  prudent  to  throw  us 
into  the  scale.  This  led  to  long  discussions  of  no  moment 
to  repeat.  We  returned  to  the  point :  he  said,  that  what 
I  had  told  him  led  him  to  think -that  what  the  Consul  had 
said  to  him  on  Sunday,  at  St.  Cloud  (the  day  on  which, 
as  I  told  ^ou,  the  determination  had  been  taken  to  sell) 
had  more  of  earnest  than  he  thought  at  the  time ;  that 
the  Consul  had  asked  him  what  news  from  England? 
As  he  knew  he  read  the  papers  attentively,  he  told  him 
that  he  had  seen  in  the  London  papers  the  proposition 
for  raising  fifty  thousand  men  to  take  New  Orleans  (Mr.* 
Ross's  proposition  in  the  Senate).  The  Consul  said  he 
had  seen  it  too,  and  had  also  seen  that  something  was 
said  about  two  miUions  of  dollars  being  disposed  among 
the  people  about  him,  to  bribe  them,  ^c ,  and  then  left 
him ;  that  afterwards,  when  walking  in  the  garden,  the 
Consul  came  again  to  him,  and  spoke  to  him  about  the 
troubles  thivt  were  excited  in  America,  and  inquired  how 
far  I  was  satisfied  with  his  last  note. 
-/M  He  (Marbois)  then  took  occasion  to  mention  his 
sorrow  that  any  cause  of  difference  should  6x|stbetwe^ 


■M 


WBAT  IB  LOUISIANA  WORTH? 


607 


•oUowed 
He  told 
id  in  re- 
,on  from 
and  con- 
m  of  that 
r  on  this 
oBsession, 
that  thiB 
o  8ttcce89* 
».    Itold 
light  Bug- 
)  it  would 
uccessful ; 
throw  na 
.0  moment 
that  what 
Consul  had 
on  which, 
Bii  to  sell) 
ime;  that 
England? 
>  told  him 
roposition 
Leans  (Mr. 
il  said  he 
ithing  was 
led  among 
then  left 
arden,  the 
about  the 
aired  how 

sntion  his 
between 


oar  ooantries.  The  Oonsal  told  him  in  I'eply:  WeH/ 
you  hme  ike  charge  of  the  ireaaury;  let  thorn  give  you 
Ofie  hundred  mUiona  of  frames  omdiny  iMr  own  daiTM, 
and  take  the  whole  oofwnit/ry.  Seeing  by  my  looks  that  I 
was  surprised  at  so  extraordinaiy  a  demand,  he  added 
that  he  considered  the  demand  as  exorbitant,  and  had 
told  the  tlrst  Consul  that  the  thing  was  impossible ;  that 
we  had  not  the  means  of  raising  that.  The  Ck>ii8ul  told 
him  we  might  borrow  it.  I  now  plainly  saw  the  whole 
business :  first,  the  Consul  was  disposed  to  sell ;  next,  he 
dbtmsted  Talleyrand,  on  account  of  the  business  of  the 
supposed  intention  to  bribe,  and  meant  to  put  the  nego- 
tiation  into  the  hands  of  Marbois,  whose  character  for 
integrity  is  established.  I  told  him  that  the  United 
States  were  anxious  to  preserve  peace  with  France; 
that,  for  that  reason,  they  wished  to  remove  the  French 
possessions  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi;  that  we 
would  be  perfectly  satisfied  with  New  Orleans  and  the 
Floridas,  and  had  no  disposition  to  extend  across  the 
river ;  that,  of  course,  we  would  not  give  any  great  snm 
for  the  purchase ;  that  he  was  right  in  his  idea  of  the 
e:|:treme  exorbitancy  of  the  demand,  which  would  not 
fall  short  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  millions  of 
francs;*  that,  however,  we  would  be  ready  to  purohas<\ 
provided  the  sum  was  reduced  to  reasonable  limits.  He 
then  pressed  me  to  name  the  sum.  I  told  hin^  that  this 
was  not  worth  while,  because,  as  he  only  treated  the 
ipqmry  as  a  matter  of  curiosity,  any  declarations  of  mine 
vfould  have  no  effect.  If  a  negotiation  was  to  be  opened, 
we  sho;i4d  CMr.  llfoiproe  and  myself)  make  the  offer 
after  mature  refieotip]^.  This  compelled  him  tp  declare^ 
thai,  though  he  was  not  ai^tntriaed  expressly  tp  iijiake 
the  inquiry  from  i|i©,  y6t  if  I  <k>h14  motion  any  e^m 

«  Oil  the  mppMi1|»ii  iii^i  tllc^laliM  <tf  At^^ 


% 


m 


-■*< 


^  ? 


"^ 


\%  "r 


t 


508 


WHAT  IB  LOUXAIANA  WOHTH  ? 


f 


that  camo  near  the  mark  and  that  could  be  accepted, 
lie  would  communicate  it  to  the  First  Consul.  I  told  him 
that  we  had  no  sort  of  authority  to  go  to  a  sum  that 
l)ore  any  proportion  to  what  he  mentioned ;  but  that, 
as  he  considered  the  demand  as  too  high,  he  would 
oblige  me  by  telling  me  what  he  thought  would  be  rea* 
sonable.  He  replied  that,  it'  we  would  name  sixty  mil* 
lions,  and  take  upon  us  the  American  claims,  to  the 
amount  of  twenty  more,  he  would  try  how  for  this  would 
be  accepted.  I  told  him  that  it  was  vain  to  ask  anything 
that  was  so  greatly  beyond  our  means,  &c  &c, 

"  He  frankly  confessed  that  he  was  of  my  sentiments : 
but  that  he  feared  the  Consul  would  not  relax.  I 
asked  him  to  press  this  argument  upon  him,  together 
with  the  danger  of  seeing  the  country  pass  into  the 
hands  of  Britain.  I  told,  him  that  he  had  seen  the  ardor 
of  the  Americans  to  take  it  by  force,  and  the  difficulty 
with  which  they  were  restrained,  by  the  prudence  of  the 
President ;  that  he  must  easily  see  how  much  the  hands 
of  the  war  party  would  be  strengthened,  when  they 
learned  that  France  was  on  th^  eve  of  a  rupture  with 
England.  He  admitted  the  weight  of  all  this.  But, 
says  he,  you  know  the  temper  of  a  youthful  conqteroEj 
everything  he  does  is  rapid  as  lightning ;  we  have  dnly 
to  speak  to  him  as  an  opportunity  presents  itself  per^ 
^aps  in  a  crowd,  when  he  bears  no  Contradictitm.  When 
I  am  alone  with  him,  i  can  speak  more  freely,  and  he 
attends;  but  this  opportunity  seldcnn  happens,' and  it 
ahf&ys  accidental.  Try,  then,  if  you  cannot  come  up  to 
niymatk.  Consider  the  extent  of  the  country,  the  0x- 
clti8iv<enavig^ti0iic(fi^e  river,  add  the  importance  of 
hliVii%  no'  ie^bors  lo'lkilimi^  you*-^no  war  to  dread. 
I  i<>ld^liim;'%hat  I  deiiNid  M  t^iese  to  be  importaiit  con^- 
demim^i  bi^i  lihere  was  a  point  beyond^^^h  we  eoidd 
ndt  go^  and^hat^£el°£ir  l^ort  of  the  ax^li^; 


.y«. 


TBV  ITEOOTIATIOir  rAIBLT  OFKnBD. 

«  «  •  «  • 


600 


i 


**Thiu,  Sir,  you  eee  a  negotiation  ig  fairly  opened,  and 
upon  grounds  which,  I  oontcss,  I  prefer  to  all  other 
commercial  privileges;  and  always  to  some  a  sim])le 
money  transaction  is  infinitely  preferable.  As  to  the 
quantum^  I  have  yet  made  up  no  opinion.  The  field 
opened  to  us  is  infinitely  larger  than  our  instructions 
contemplated;  the  revenue  is  increasing,  and  the  land 
more  than  adequate  to  sink  the  capital,  should  we  even 
go  to  the  sum  proposed  by  Marbois ;  nay,  I  persuade 
myself,  that  the  whole  sum  may  be  raised  by  the  sale  of 
the  territory  west  of  the  Mississippi,  with  the  right  of 
sovereignty,  to  some  power  in  Europe,  whose  vicinity 
we  should  not  fear.  I  speak  now  without  reflection, 
and  without  having  seen  Mr.  Monroe,  as  it  was  midnight 
when  I  left  the  treasury  ofi&cb,  and  is  now  near  throe 
o^clock.  It  is  so  very  important  that  you  should  be  ap- 
prised that  a  negotiation  is  actually  opened,  even  before 
Mr.  Monroe  has  been  presented,  in  order  to  calm  the 
tumult  which  the  news  of  war  will  renew,  that  I  have 
lost  no  time  in  communicating  it.  We  shall  do  all  we 
can  to  cheapen  the  purchase ;  but  my  present  sentiment 
is  that  we  shall  buy.  Mr.  Monroe  will  be  presented  to 
the  minister  to-morrow,  when  we  shall  press  for  as  early 
an  audience  as  possible  from  the  first  Con9u]» ;,  I  thmk  % 
it  will  be  necessary  to  put  in  some  proposition  to-mo: 
row.  The  Consul  goes  in  a  few  days  to  Brussels,  ani 
every  moment  is  precious." 

On  the  1  iTth^  Mr.  Livingston  thus  resunied  the  si;ibj9ct 
m^  a  despatch  to  his  government :  '^  On  waiting,"  said  he, 
f  Itpoii  the  Muuster  i(Tal)eyrand),  we  found  M.  Marbois 
^JBrnOy  who  told  me  he  had  come  to  conomunicate  to  the 
libifltw  wlHKt  had  pas0e4  between  jis^.and  that  he 
il^aHy  regretted  the  npt  bein^  a^e  to  bri^  us  to  such 
M  <^ras  he  might  mentiaU^ tq  tJbe  ]^t  (ik>nsul.    I  to^d 


i  l; 


f 


5lt) 


THE   WAT  to  ilAKE  A  BABQjUlir. 


''r.'p'h- 


him  that  it  was  Wiiecessaiy  to  repea 
pel  us  to  limit  our  ofifero  to  a  much  mbre  modemte  iuidiv  i^ 
£  hiad  already  detailed  them  at  large ;  and  he  knew  thcrjf 
exceeded  our  means,  <&€.  *  ♦  * 

"The  next  day, Mr.  Monroe  and  myseliP,  alter  sf^nd- 
ing  some  time  in  consultation,  determined  to  offer  fifty 
millions,  including  our  debts.  "We  presumed  it  woull 
be  best  only  to  mention  forty  in  the  first  instance* 
This  I  accordingly  did,  in  a  conference  I  had  on  the 
15th  with  M.  Marbois.  He  expressed  great  sorrow 
that  we  could  not  go  beyond  that  sum,  because  he  wias 
sure  that  it  would  not  be  accepted,  and  that  perhaj^ 
the  whole  business  might  be  defeated,  which  he  the 
more  feared,  as  he  had.  just  received  a  note  from  the 
Minister  (Talleyrand),  indicative  of  the  Gonsul's  not 
being  quite  pleased  that  he  had  so  greatly  lowered  his 
original  proposition.  He  said  that  he  saw  our  situation, 
and  he  knew  that  there  was  a  point  beyond  which  we 
could  not  go  safely  to  ourselves  oi  the  President;  but 
h€s  Wished  us  to  advance  to  thifit  point.  He  said  that 
he  would,  if  I  wished,  go  that  very  day  to  St.  Cloud, 
and  let  me  know  the  result,  <fec.,  &c. 

"The  next  morning,  which  was  yesterday,  I 
called  to  see  him.  He  told  me  that  he  had  been  to 
'Cloud;  that  the  Consid  received  his  proposition  very 
coolly ;  and  that  I  might  consider  the  business  as  ho 
longer  in  his  hands,  since  he  had  given  him  no  further 
powers,  &c.,  ifec.     *  *  *  *  * 

'""I  dined  with  the  Second  Con^l  yesterday ;  and^  in 
the  evening,  M.  Marbois  came  in.  I  took  him  adide, 
and  asked  him  If  anything  further  had  passed;  ^  said 
no :  bat  that,  as  he  was  to  go  to  St.  Cloud  the  xie^  day, 


it  Was 


le  that  the  Cbiiflul'liiight  touch  upon  the 


BAB9i  MAIMbI  BIPI.OMAO7. 


511 


old  cona- 


lew 

* 


«r8l 

it  would 

iiistaiM^* 
d  on  the 
at  sorrow 
se  He  was 
t  perhaps 
3I1  he  the 

from  thfe 
Hsul's  not 
)wered  his 
r  situatibn, 
I  whi6h  we 
ident;  bnt 
said  that 

St.  Cloud, 

y,  I  agAiti 
>en  t6  St. 

fition  very 
lesB  as  no 
no  further 

*   ;, 

;>  and,in 

|him  sMe, 

He  said 

ne&tdft^, 

upon  tl[e 


subject  again ;  and  that,  if  he  did  not^  I  nught  consider 
the  p^  as  relinquished ;  and  that,  if  I  had  any  Airther 
proportion  to  make,  it  would  be  well  to  state  it.  I 
then  told  him  that,  on  further  consideration  with  Mon- 
roe, we  had  resolved  to  go  to  the  greatest  possible 
length,  a^d  that  we  would  give  fifty  millionfi.  He  said 
tlmt  he  had  very  little  hopes  that  anything  short  of  his 
propositions  would  succeed;  but  that  he  would  make 
the  best  Tise  of  the  arguments  I  had  furnished  him  with, 
if  an  opportunity  was  offered;  and,  if  nothing  was  done 
the  next  day,  I  miirht  conclude  that  the  Consul  had 
changed  IdB  Ltimente ;  that  havmg  given  the  kingdopi 
of  Efcruria,  whose  revenues  were  twenty-five  millions,  in 
excha.nge  for  this  country,  it  was  natural  that  the  first 
Consul  should  estimate  it  beyond  its  real  Value.'* 

Now,  that  we  have  seen  the  Am^ican  side  of  the  ques- 
tion^ let  us  penetrate  into  the  councils  oiP  France,  and 
listen  to  the  recital  of  these  transactioiis,  as  told  by  M. 
Marbois,  in  his  History  of  Louisiana.  "That  provincej* 
said  he,  "was  at  the  mercy  of  the  English,  who  had  a 
naval  armament  in  the  neighboring  seas,  and  good  gar- 
risons in  Jamaica  and  the  Windward  Islanus.  It  might 
be' supposed  that  they  would  open  the  carapaign  by  this 
easy  conquest,  l^e  Krst  Consul  had  no  other  plan  to 
pursue,  when  he  abandoned  his  views  respecting  Loui- 
siana, than  to  prevent  the  loss  which  France  was  already ; 
sustaining,  being  turned  to  the  advantage  of  England. 
He,  however,  conceived  that  he  ought,  before  parting 
ynth  it,  to  inform  himself  respectmg  the  value  of  ^  ae> 
qaisition,  which  was  the  fruit  of  his  own  negotiations, 
and  the  only  one  thlat  had  not  been  p|(t)ained  by  the 

sword.  .:.'■■  ,;■-■-..■:        '■  yVv  ^^.  ^    ■■..  .     •'■.'•'•''';-■.;.  ,„,L.  ^  ^ 

^*  He  wished  to  hi^veti?e  opinion  of  two  ministers,  who 
hfi^  b^en  acqui^Rted  withihosec^  and  to  one  of 
wboon  the  adminurtri^in^  df  :^e  cc^oi^es  was  £Euxuliar. 


wm. 


# 


.w- 


#■ 


BU 


Bo^j^AS,m  Aim  Mm  AjDj^ssp. 


He  was  in  the  habit  of  explaimug  hiinself  Tpfhput  pre- 
pai'atioii  or  iv^jserve,  to  those  in  whom  he  had  conJl^enoe. 
«On  :^ter  Sunday,  the  1013?:  of Upnl  (ISOdS^ft'T 
having  attended  to  the  solemnities  and  cei'emonies  of  ^l^e 
day;  he  called  those  two  counsellors  to  him,  and,  address- 
ing them  with  that  vehemence  an4  passion  whipli  Jiie 
particularly  Manifested  in  political  afl&iirs,  said:  'J  litip^ 
theiuii  value  of  liouisiana,  and  I  have  been  desijotis  of 
repairing  the  fault  of  the  French  negotiator  who  aban- 
doned it  in  1763.    A  few  lines  of  a  treaty  have  restored 
it  to  me,  and  I  have  scarcely  recovered  it,  whei|,  X  miJst 
expect  to  lose  it.    But  if  it  escapes  from  me,  it  shall  one 
day  cost  dearer  to  those  who  oblige  me  to  strip  myself 
of  it,  than  to  those  to  whom  I  wish  to  deliver  il;*    The 
English*  have  successively  taken  from  France:  Canada, 
Cape  Breton,  Newfoundland,  Jf ova  Scotia,  and  the  richest 
poitiona  of  iCsia.    They  are  engaged  in  exciting  troubles 
in  St.  Domingo.    They  shall  not  have  tiie  Mississippi, 
which  they  covet.    Louisiana  is  nothing  in  comparison 
with  their  conquests  in  aU  parts  of  the  globe,  ajud  yet 
the  jealousy  they  feel  at  the  icsstoration  of  this  colony  to 
the  sovereignty  of  France,  acquaii^ts  ine  with  cheir  wiuh 
to  take  possession  of  it,  and  it  is  thus  they  wUl  begin  the 
war.    They  have  twenty  ships  of  war  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico;  they  sail  over  those  seas  aa  apvereigne,  whilst 
our  affairs  in  St.  Domingo .  have  been  growing  worse 
every  day,  since  the  death  of  Ledcvc    The  conquest  of 
Ijouisiana  would  be  easy,  if  they  only  took  the  trouble 
to  make  a  descent  there.    I  have  not  a  moment  to  lose 
in  putting-  it.  out  of  their  reach.    I  know  not  whether 
^ey  are  dot  already  there.    It  is  their  usual  course,  and, 
if  I  had  been  in  their  place,!  would  not  have  w^ted. 
I  wi^h;  if  there  is  still  time,  to  take  itLiira^  Jrom  tkem  ^y 
idea  tha)b  th^y  may  MveolevEt^  possessing  t      col^^^* 
J^^hiakol^t^pg  it  to  tW 


BOSSTAaXE  Aim  HKt  AOYISEBS. 


613 


say  that  I  <$ede  it  to  tlifitsj  for  it  h  not  yet  in  our  po»- 
session.  If,  however,  I  kal^e  the-  least  time  to  our  ene- 
mies, I  shall  only  transmit  m  empty  title  to  those  j'epub- 
lidans  ^rhose  Mendship  I  seek.  They  only  ask  of  me 
one  town  in  Lonidiana;  bat  I  already  consider  the 
colony  as  entirely  lost,  and  it  appears  to  me,  that  in  the 
hd&dd  of  this  growing  power,  it  will  be  more  useful  to 
the  policy  and  even  to  the  commerce  of  France,  than  if 
j[  should  attempt  to  keep  it.' 

"  One  of  these  ministers  had  served  in  the  auiriliary 
army  sent  by  Stance  to  the  United  States  during  their 
revolutioi]^  The  other  had,  for  ten  years,  been  in  the 
public  employ,  either  as  secretary  of  the  French  Lega- 
tion to  the  Continei^tal  Congress,  or  as  the  head  of  l^e 
administration  of  St.  Domingo. 

"*We  should  not  hesitate,'  said  the  last  Minister 
(Barbe  Marbois)  *to  make  a  sacrifice  of  that  which  is 
about  slipping  away  from  us.  War  with  England  is 
inevitable.  Shall  we  be  able  with  inferior  naval  forces 
to  defend  Louisiana  against  that  power?  The  United 
States,  justly  discontented  with  our  proceedings,  4o  not 
hold  out  to  us  a  solitary  haven,  not  even  «ii  asylum,  in 
case  of  reverses.  They  have  just  becinne  reconciled  with 
usj  it  is  true,  but  they  have  a  ^put6  with  the  Spanish 
go^Temment,  and  threaten  New  Orleans, -of  which  we 
shaU  only  have  a  momentf^y  possession.  At  the  time 
of  the  discovery  of  Louisiana,  the  neighboring  provinces 
were  as  feeMe  as  herself.  "Iliey  are  now  powerful,  and 
LouisiaaiLa  isfitill  in  her  in&ucy.  The  country  ia  scarcely 
at  idl  iliha^it^;  you  have  not  fifty  soMiero  there.. 
Where  &t^  your  uteaiis  of  sending  garaiaOiw  thither? 
Can  we  restore  jTordficatfoBs  ^lat  tem  in  i^iks,  and  con- 
struct a  long  <^il|t  i^li^^i^ 
dr«d  l6Bigmi^^^^SiS0fm^  undertake  these 

'""    *    yow  resources, 


w^-- 


mi 


muAstom  m  o^mEi  oomronw 


;.»f 


she  will  feel  a  secret  joy  in  sejeing  you  ezhaost  yonrii^lf 
in  efforts  of  wUcli  she  alone  wHl  de^ve  the  profit.  Ton 
will  send  out  a  squadron;  but,  ^^^^^ ^^^  i^  crossing  t^e 
ocean,  the  colony  will  fall,  and  the  squadron  wUl,  in  ilb? 
turn,  be  in  danger.  ,  Louisiana  is  open  to  the  i^glifi^'i 
<  Irom  the  north  by  the  great  lakes,  and  if,  to  the  soutl\ 
they  show  themselves  at  the  i^outh  of  the  Mssissippi, 
New  Orleans  will  immediately  fall  into  their  hands. 
Of  what  consequence  is  it  to  the  inhabitants  wh^m  tiiey 
are  subject  to,  if  their  country  is  not  to  cease  to  be  a 
colony?  This  conquest  would  be  still  easier  to  the 
vfj?  Americans ;  they  can  reach  the  Mississippi  b J  deveral 

navigable  rivers,  and  to  be  masters  of  the  country  it  wiU 
be  sufficient  for  them  to  enter  it.  The  population  and 
resources  of  one  of  these  two  neighbora  eveiy  day 
increase,  and  the  other  has  maritime  means  sufficient 
to  take  possession  of  every  thing  that  can  advance 
her  coiamerce.  The  colony  has  existed  for  a  e<3|itiiry, 
f  and,  in 's^*4,e  of  efforts  and  sacrifices  of  every  kind,  the 
^ast  acconnt  of  its  population  and  resources  attests  its 
weakness.  If  it  becomes  a  Erench  colony  and  acquires 
increased  importance,  there  will  be  in  its  very  prosperii;/ 
a  germ  of  independence,  which  will  not  be  long  in  de- 
veloping itself.  The  more  it  flourishes^  the  less  chaape 
shall  we  have  of  preserving  it.  Nothing  is  more  c'^cer- 
'%■  tain  than  the  Aiture  fate  of  the  European  colonies  in 
America.  The  exclusive  right  which  t^e  parent  States 
exercise  over  these  remiote  settlements  becomes  every 
day  more  and  more  precarious.  The  people  feel  hum- 
bled at  being  dependent  on  a  small  coun^  in  !&u*ope, 
and  will  liberate  themselves,  as  soon  as  they  have  a 
consciousness  of  their  own  fttjengtlt 

"The  French  luive  attempted  to  form  colonies  in 
llgveral  parts  of  the  eoiotinent  of  Atnetica:'  ^eir  efforts 
have  eveiywhere  prove4  abortive..  The  !|^liib;J^e 


If.  icAikBOiB  IS  oABtmsi  ootnroiL. 


fil5 


aost  youriielf 

profit.    You 

\  dossing  tie 

•on  win,  itt  ils 
)  tli^  Ibglia;'! 

',  to  the  Botjtl', 
le  Hlsaissippi, 
►  their  hm^- 
its  wh^m  tiiey 
cease  to  he  a 
easier  to  the 
)pi  bj  several 
country  it  will 
population  and 
or^  every  day 
oeans  sufficient 
t  can  advance 
for  a  cantury, 
every  kind,  the 
irces  attests  its 
y  and  acquires 
veryprospe^i;/ 
be  long  in  de- 
the  less  chfiUPe 
is  more  a'^^er- 
3an  colonies  in 
B  parent  States 
beconies  every 
►pie  feel  h^m- 
py  in  Enr<^e, 
they  have  a 

eolonie^  in 
t.'  ji^effijrts 


pft£iient  anci  labo^ns ;  they  do  not  JTear  the  solitude  and 
silence  of  newfy  settled  countries.  The  iSrenchman, 
lively  f^ci  acJ^ve,  requires  society;  he  is  fond  of  con- 
versing with  neighbors.  He  willingly  enters  on  the 
ex|»et^ent  of  culiivating  the  soil,  but,  at  the  first  disap- 
pointment, quits  the  spade  or  axe  for  the  chase. 

**The  Piret  Consul,  interrupting  these  dbservations, 
asked  how  it  happened  that  the  French,  who  were  incor  . 
pbble  of  succeeding  in  a  continental  colony,  had  always 
made  great  progress  in  the  West  Indied.  Because,  re* 
pHed  the  minister,  the  slaves  peHbnn  all  the  labor.  The 
Whites,  who  would  be  soon  exhausted  by  the  heat  of 
the  cS^ate,  have,  however,  the  vigor  of  body  and  mind 
necessary  to  direct  their  operations. — *  I  am  agdin,'  said 
the  First  Consul,  *  undecided  as  to  maintaining  or  abolish- 
ing slavery;  By  whciru  is  the  land  cultivated  in  Louisi- 
ana?'-^* Slavery,*  answered  the  minister,  *  has  given  to 
liiouidiana  half  her  population.  An  inexcusable  impru- 
dence" Was  committed  in  suddenly  granting  to  the  slaves 
of  St  Domingo  a  libferty  for  which  they  had  not  been 
prepared.  The  blacks  and  whites  have  both  been  the 
victkns  of  this  great  fault.  But,  without  inquiring  at 
this  day  how  it  would  be  proper  to  repaii*  it,  let  us  ac* 
knowledge  that  the  Colonies  where  slavery  is  preserved 
are  rathet  burdensome  than  useful  to  France.  At  the 
saiiie  time,  let  us  beware  how  we  abandon  them.  They  ^ 
have  not  the  means  of  governing  the|||selve8.  The  Cre- 
ole ate  IVench ;  they  have  been  encouraged  in  that 
miade  of  eiflture,  and  in  that  system  which  now  causes 
their  fiilsfortunes.  Let  us.  preserve  them  from  xtew 
ciMMl^/  It  is  our  duty  to  provide  for  their  defence, 
for  ihe  administration  of  justice  and  for  the  cared  of 
government.  ■•1^^  ft^^^  would  yon 

^^efefc  yourself  ti^lsMB'^greater  embarrassments  in  liwi* 


i-T 


Ms 


mj 


f5*l,;.,f 


"'''^ 


.5* 


K16 


M.   MAB360I8  m  OABDOnr  OOtJNOIL. 


w 


w 


laws  in  colHsion  witli  those  at  home.  tSiPall  the  scourges 
that  have  affliet^d  the  human  race,  slaViay  is  the  most 
det^table;  but  even  humanity  requires  gi^iatpi^cauliotts 
in  the  application  of  the  reiidedyi  and  you  cannot  apply 
it,  if  Louisiana  should  again  beodme  BVeilch.  Govern- 
ments still  half  resist  emancipation:  thdy  1»lerate  in 
secret  what  they  ostensibly  condemn,  and  tkey  are 
themselves  embarrassed  by  their  false  position.  Tlie 
general  sentiment  of  the  world  is  favorable  to  emaiiei- 
pation ;  itis  in  vdin  that  the  dolonists  and  planters  wish 
to  arrest  a  movement  which  ptiblic  dpinioa  approves. 
The  occupation  of  Louisianar-^-a  colony  With  slaves— Jwill 
occasion  us  more  expense  than  it  will  affdrd  us  profit. 

"  'But  there  is  another  kind  of  slavery  of  which  this 
colony  has  lost  the  habit:  it  is  that  of  the  exclusive 
system.  Do  you  expect  to  reestablish  it  in  a  country 
contiguous  to  one  whose  commerce  enjoys  the  greatest 
liberty  ?  The  reign  of  prohibitory  laws  is  over,  when  a 
numerous  population  has  deeded  to  throw  off  tiie  yoke. 
Besides^  the  productions  which  were  so  long  pd^esijed 
exclusively  by  a  few  commercial  people,  are  ceasing  to 
be  privileged  articles.  The  sugarcane  and'thecdffee  . 
tree  are  everywhere  cultivated,  and  at  a  very  small  ex- 
pense. Every  people  expects  to  raise  on  its  own  account 
a31  the  provisions  adapted  to  its  territdry  and  elimate. 
Tliere  are  on  the  globe,  between  the  tropics,  lands  a 
thousand  times  ]|9re  extensive  than  our  islands,  aiid 
susceptible  of  the  same  kind  of  culture.  Monopoly  is 
rendered  impossible  when  the  productions  are  so  naulti- 
^lied,  and  the  Louisianiaris  >nll  not  permit  it  t6  enslave 
their  commej'ce.  Would  you  subdue  re&istatic0b^fptce 
of  arms?  The  malcontents  tdll  find  s^pp^  ift  the 
neighborhood,  and  you  will  make  the  United,  States,  idih 
wh(>m7  reci^Focal  iiiteres^  bugllt  to  <k>Qiiect  uS:  tor 
iceBtnriesj  enemies  <rf  JVance.    B#ilo^  toect  fi^ 


";»■ 


^m- 


Ji.  MABBOIS  IN  OABOnST  QOJTSfOJL. 


m 


jAjai^iaiua^  any  attachmeat  for  your  penon.  They 
i^end^  lioiaage  to  yoiirfaiae  and  tp  your  exploite ;  but 
th^  love  of  naticma  is'  reserved  for  those  princes  whom 
they  regard  as  the  authors  of  their  hapj>iness;  and^ 
whftev^cir  may  be  your  solicitude  with  respect  to  theirs; 
it  liriU  be  for  a  long  time,  and  perhaps  for  ever,  without 
e£((;v  J.  These  colonists  have  lost  the  recollection  of 
Franco',  th^y  are  of  three  or  four  different  nations,  an4 
hardly  regard  Louisiaaa  as  their  country.  Laws  whicS 
are  inoessantly  varying,  chiefs  who  cannot  know  those 
vhom  toy  are  sent  to  govern  and  are  not  known  by 
them,  Gikanges  effected  according  to  the  unsettled 
interests  of  the  ruling  state  or  the  inexperience  of  Minis* 
ters,  the  continual  danger  of  becoming  belligerents  in 
qufM'rels  to  which  they  are  really  strangers;  such  are 
t'l;:,  c^"3e&  which  have  for  a  hundred  years  extinguished 
in  their  hearts  every  sentiment  of  affection  for  masters 
who;  kre  two  thousand  leagues  distant  from  them^  and 
who  would  exchange  or  convey  them  away  like  an  airticle 
o€  merchandise.  In  order  that  a  country  should  exist 
and  possess  citizens,  the  certainty  of  stability  muoc<  be 
Ignited  with  the  feeling  of  prosperity.  ,  The  Louisianians, 
on  hearing  that  they  had  again  become  French,  must 
have  said  to  one  another:  Tkie  dkcmge.  will  not  la^t 
hnger  them  the  others.  If,  Citizen  Consul,  you,  who  have, 
by  one  of  the  first  acts  o1&  your  government,  made  suffi- 
ciently apparent  your  intention  of  giving  this  country  to 
France^  now  abandon  the  idea  of  keeping  it,  tJiere  is  no 
person  that  will  not  admit  that  jovt  only  yield  to 
ne^e^sity ;  and  even  our  mterchants  will  so(m  acknowledge 
t^at  Ikmisiana  free,  offers  to  them  more  chances  of  pro- 
fit than  toui^ana  subjected  to  a  monopoly.  Commercial 
esi^Heih^ents  1^  at  tiik  day  pr^eraV%  to  cir^lonies, 
and  even^without  ^mper^td  e^iftbMiments  jit  is  hut.to 
let;^arnde  takg^  carrof  itself*  / 


I 


Is     "t-          i  ■    '  ', 

1 

mBI 

i¥-''- 


ii' 


61^ 


BBOlsis  IN  THE  POUNOIL. 


^  The  otker  Minister  (Decr^)  was  of  a  totnlly  op^x)^ 
Site  ojunion :  '  We  are  still  at  peace  with  England,'  stud 
he;  *  tiiQ  colony  has  just  been  cedM  to  us,  it  depends  on 
the  fHrst  Consul  to  preserve  it.  It  would  not  be  wi^  in 
him  to  abandon,  for  fear  of  a  doubtful  danger,  the  most 
in^poi*tant  establishment  that  we  can  form  put  of  Ffiu^o^, 
and  despoil  ourselves  of  it  for  no  other  reason  than  the 
possibility  of  a  war:  it  would  be  as  well,  if  not  better, 
that  it  should  be  taken  from  us  by  force  of  arms.  If 
peace  is  maintained,  the  cession  cannot  be  justpodf  and 
this  premature  act  of  ill-founded  apprehensioiL  would 
occasion  the  most  lively  regrets.  To  retain  it  would,  on 
the  other  hand,  be  for  our  commerce  and  navigation  an 
inestimable  resource,  and  to  our  maritime  provinces  the 
subject  of  universal  joy.  The  advantages  which  we 
have  derived  from  the  colonies  are  still  present  to  every 
mind.  Tejx  flourishing  cities  have  been  created  by  thjis 
trade;  and  the  navigation,  opulence,  and  lujoiry  Vhich 
embellished  Paris  are  the  results  of  colonial  industry. 
There  can  be  no  marine  without  colonies ;  no  colonies 
withoiit  a  powerful  marine.  The  political  system  of 
Europe  is  only  preserved  by  a  skilfully  combined  resist- 
ance of  many  against  one.  This  is  as  necessary  with 
respect  to  the  sea  as  to  the  land,  if  it  is  not  intended  to 
subndt  to  the  tyranny  of  a  universal  sovereignty  over 
commerce  and  llie  loss  of  the  immense  advantaM  o|  a 
^ee  navigation.  To  ihis  you  will  not  submit  ;]^ 
not  acknowledge  by  your  resignation  that 
the  sovereign  mistress  of  the  seas,  that  she  is  there; 
j^eirable,  and  that  no  pne  can  possess  colonies  excf 
her  good  pleasure, .  It  does  not  become  you  to  feail, 
,^iiigs  of  Engletnil.  If  they  should  seize  on  Louisutili^ 
asS  soine  would  have  you  fear,  Hanover  woi]ild  be  iin- 
liiediately  in  your  hands  as  a  certain  pledge  of  it&res|^ 
ration.  ■  Fi-ance,  deprived  of  bei^  navy  and  Jh^t  oolo9,ie|. 


f 


V 


M 


i>i^l^^  ist  ms*  oomrdL. 


m 


w8bippeA:<3^  lialf  her  splendor,  and  of  a  great  part  of 
her 'streng^b.  Louisiana  can  indemnify  na  for  all  onr 
loissea  There  does  not  exist  on  the  globe  a  single  port, 
a  siiigledity  susceptible  of  becoming  as  important  as 
N^w  Orleans,  and  the  neighborhood  of  the  Am^^ican 
States  abeady  makes  it  one  of  the  most  commercial  in 
the  world.  The  Mississippi  does  not  reach  there  till  it 
has  received  twenty  other  rivers,  most  of  which  surpass 
in  size  the  finest  rivefs  of  Enrope.  The  cotmtry  is  at 
last  known,  the  principal  explorations  have  been  made, 
and  expenses  have  not  bx<)en  spared,  especially  by  Spain. 
Forts  exist:  sOme  fertile  lands  stiitable  to  the  ridiest 
kinds  of  cnltare  are  already  fally  in  use,  and  others  only 
await  thfe  necessary  labor.  This  colony,  open  to  the 
activity  of  the  French,  will  soon  compensate  them  for 
the  loss  of  India. 

>^  *  The  climate  is  the  same  as  that  of  Hindostan,  and 
the  distance  is  only  a  quarter  as  great.  The  navigation 
to  the  Indies,  by  doubling  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  has 
changed  the  course  of  European  trade,  and  ruined  Ye- 
nice  and  Genoa.  What  will  be  its  direction,  if,  at  the 
Bthmus  of  Panama,  a  simple  canal  should  be  opened  to 
connect  the  one  ocean  with  the  other  ?  The  revolution 
which  navigation  will  then  experielioe  will  be  still  more 
considerable,  and  the  circumnavigation  of  l^e- globe  will 
be^me  easier  than  the  long  voyages  that  are  now  made 
in  going  to  and  returMnglom^di.  Louisiana  wiU^b^ 
on  tl^  new  route,  and  it  will  then  be  acldaowl^dg^  that 
l^is  possession  is  of  inestimable  value. 

**'A  boundless  icountry  belongs  to  us^  to  which  the 
savages  possess  oMy  an  imaginary  r%ht '  They  ovemxn 
vast  deserts^  with  the  bow  in  their  httid^  in  pui'snit  Of 
w§d  beaists.  Bii^  l^e  social  stat^r^ubres  that  1^  laxsj 
sloMd  be  oce«fle£^  iBtd  tl^ 

^i^0ii^^m  %m~m^  a  right  to  hia  m!^ 


*j»> 


a- 


:m 


m 


^1 


47"" 


530 


DltiORite  IN  THE  OOUKOU. 


r 


w 


m 


sistence,  and  this  we  will  provide  for  liiin  At  a  smaU 
expense. 

*' '  All  the  productions  of  the  West  Indies  init  ,Loa<> 
isiana.  This  variety  of  products  has  already  introduced 
larg^oapitals  into  countries  that  were  bo  long  an  unin- 
habited wilderness.  If  ^  >  must  abandon  St.  Domingo, 
Louisiana  will  take  its  place.  Consider  likewise  the 
iigury  which  it  may  do  us,  if  it  becomes  oilr  rival  in 
those  productions  of  which  we  Ijave  so  long  had  the 
monopoly.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  introduce 
there  the  vine,  the  olive,  and  the  mulberry  tree;  a»d, 
these  experiments,  which  Spain  has  not  been  ^ble  to 
prevent,  have  but  too  well  succeeded.  If  the  colony 
should  become  free,  Provence  and  our  vineyards  naust 
prepare  for  a  fearful  competition  with  a  country  new 
and  of  boundless  extent.  If,  on  the  other  hand^  it  is 
subjected  to  our  laws,  every  kind  of  culture  injurious  to 
our  productions  will  be  prohibited. 

"  *  It  is  even  for  the  advantage  of  Europe  that  France 
should  be  rich.  So  lotig  as  bhe  shared  with  England  the 
commerce  of  America  and  Asia,  the  princes  and  cabinets 
that  consented  to  be  subsidied,  profited  by  their  com;- 
petition  in  their  offers.  What  a  difference  it  will  make 
to  them  all,  if  there  is  to  be  no  more  competition,  and 
if  England  alone  is  to  regulate  this  ti^affic  of  Amity 
among  princes  I  Alone  rich,  she  alone  would  give  the 
law. 

"•Finally,  France,  after  her  long  troubles,  requires 
such  a  colony  for  her  internal  pacification ;  it  wUl  be 
for  our  country  whatj  a  centuiy  ago,  were  for  Engkiid 
t^e  settlements  Ti^ieh  the  emigraitts  from  the  thx^ 
kingdoms  have  raised  to  «^3  \igh  a4egree  of  proaperil^;; 
it  will  be  the  asylum  of  oar  r^igious  aad  poH^iBid  dls^ 
senters ;  it  will  cure  a  part  of  the  maladies  i^iic^th^ 
revolution  has  caused,  and  be  the  supreme  concilialioir^ 


Mf 


^^.-if.i    1 1',^ 


^A 


% 


DBOxis  nf .  Tm  oouvoxu,. 


5^1 


aB  ihe  parties  into  wbioh  we  aro  divided.  Yon  will 
there  find  the  remedies  for  which  you  search  with  so 
mneh  solioitiid&V 

fTh«  First  Oonsnl  terminated  the  oonferenoe  witboat 
making  his  intentions  kr^own ;  the  disonssicms  had  been 
prok|i^||ed  into  the  ni(,ht.  The  Ministers  remamed  at 
St»')!(^mid^:apd,  at  day-break, Jie  summoned  the  one 
who  IumI  ttdTiflfd  t&e  cession  of  llonisiana,  and  made  him 
read  J^  de9patdies  that  had  jnst  arrived  fix>m  London. 
His  ;«ail:masad(tf  informed  him  that  naval  and  military 
ppepai^ons  ol  every  kind  were  making  with  eictraor- 
dinary  ra|>idity. 

^M^h^'IBnglish^'  said  Napoleon,  ^ask  of  me  Iiampe- 
donsa^^^ibich  does  not  belong  to  me,  and  at  the  same 
^m^riNfish  to  keep  Malta  for  ten  years.  This  island,  where 
miHtaj^gemus  ha?  exhausted  all  the  moans  of  defensive 
IbrtMisatkm  to  an  extent  of  which  no  one  virithout  seeing 
ii  can  form  an  idea,  would  be  to  them  another  Gibraltar. 
To'l<9ave  it  to  the  English  would  be  to  give  up  to  them 
theicommerce  of  the  Levant,  and  to  rob  my  southern 
provinces  of  it  They  wish  to  keep  tins  possession,  imd 
havo  meimmediately  to  evacuate  Holland  . 

^^  ^  Irresolution  and  deliberation  are  no  longer  in  sei^son^ 
I  renounce  Louisiana.  It  is  not  only  iNew  Orleans  that 
I  will  cede,  it  is  the  whole  colony  without  ai^-reaej'va- 
tionf  I  know  the  price  of  what  X  Abandon,  and  ^have 
sumciently  {proved  the  importance  that!  attach  to  this 
province)  since  my  first  diplomatic  act  with  Spain  had 
£^  its^object  its  recovery.  I  renounce  it  with4;he  greatest 
regretw  To  attwapt  obstinately  to  retm  i%  )r9uld  ]^ 
foSy.  I  direct  you  to  n^otiate  thk^^al&ir  with  t|ie  e^ 
vcfB  <^  iJieiJmted^ States  :  Bo  not  ^v^nawM^^  th^faip- 
v^  of  Mr.  Mom>oe  ;^  haveanint6ndew^t^k^ry  diiy^th 
M^^vLivmgston.  -But  J  re(|i»ie  «  s^?eattd(^>(i£  BMmey^ 
l^is  war,  and  I  wo!^  not  like  to  commence  it  Wi^JMv 


'  *^''' 


■,is. 


W 


w* 


i 


522 


BOVAFARTl  IN  TBI  OOTTKOIL. 


oontributioDB.  For  a  hundred  years  France  and  Spain 
have  been  mcnrring  expenses  for  improvements  in  Loui- 
8ian%  for  which  its  trade  has  never  indemnified  them. 
Large  sums,  which  will  never  be  returned  to  the  trea- 
sury,  have  been  lent  to  companies  and  to  agricultmists. 
The  price  of  all  thcfise  thingd  is  justly  due  to  ua.  If  I 
should  regulate  my  tenys  according  to  the  value  of  these 
vast  regions  to  the  United  States,  the  indemnity  woidd 
have  no  limits.  I  will  be  moderate,  in  consideration  of 
the  necessity  in  which  I  am,  of  making  a  sale.  But  keep 
this  to  yourself.  I  want  fifty  millions,  and  for  less  than 
that  sum  I  will  not  treat ;  I  would  rather  make  a  des- 
perate attempt  to  keep  these  fine  countries.  To-morrow, 
you  shall  have  full  powers.*  The  new  plenipotentiary 
then  made  some  general  observations  on  the  cession  of 
the  rights  of  sovereignty,  and  upon  the  abandonment  of 
what  the  Germans  call  the  s&ids,  as  to  whether  they 
could  be  the  subject  of  a  contract  of  sale  or  exchange. 
Bonaparte  replied :  '  You  ar^  giving  me  in  all  its  perfec- 
tion, the  ideology  of  tfefe  law  of  nature  and  nations.  But 
I  require  money  to  make  war  on  tlie  richest  nation  of 
the  world.  Send  your  maxims  to  the  London  maiket; 
I  am  sure  that  they  will  be  greatly  admired  there,  and 
yet  no  great  attention  is  paid  to  them  when  the  question 
is  the  occupation  of  the  finest  regions  of  Asia. 

"  *  Perhaps  it  will  also  be  objected  to  me  that  the  Ameri- 
cans may  be  found  too  powerful  for  Europe  in  two  or 
three  centuries ;  but  my  foresight  does  not  embrace  such 
remote  fears.  Besides,  we  may  hereafter  expect  rivalries 
among  the  members  of  the  Union.  The  confec^erations 
that  are  called  perpetual,  only  last  laU  one  of  the  con- 
titwting  parties  finds  it  to  his  interest  to  break  ^em, 
and  it  is  to  prevent  l^e  danger  to  which  the  ooloniia^ 
pcnveij  of  Englatad  exposes  us,  thaf  Iwoidd  provide  a 
remedy;^';  ^: 


%'"' 


i*^ 


nw 


i> 


.   wsAVAsam  nr  ths  oovixotl. 


528 


Tlie  Minister  made  no  reply.  The  ilrst  Consul  con- 
tinned :  '^  Mr.  Monroe  is  on  the  point  of  arriving.  To 
this  niinister,  going  a  thousand  leagues  from  his  con- 
stituents, the  President  must  have  given,  after  defining 
the  object  of  his  mission,  secret  instructions,  more  eicten* 
sive  than  the  ostensible  authorization  of  Congress,  for  the 
stipulation  of  the  payments  to  be  made.  Neither  this 
minister,  nor  his  colleague,  is  prepared  for  a  decision 
which  goes  infinitely  beyond  anything  that  they  are 
about  to  ask  of  us.  Beg'n  by  making  them  the  overture, 
mthout  any  subterfuge.  You  will  acquaint  me,  day  by 
day,  hour  by  hour,  of  your  prog^'ess.  The  cabinet  of 
London  is  informed  of  the  measu-  .m  adoj:  3d  at  Washing- 
ton, but  it  can  have  no  suspicion  of  l  >se  I  am  now 
taking.  Observe  the  greatest  secrecy,  and  recommend 
it  to  the  American  Ministers ;  ii .;'  have  not  i.  less  inte- 
rest than  yourself  in  conforming  to  the  counsel.  You 
will  correspond  with  M.  de  Talleyrand,  who  alone  knows 
my  intentions.  If  I  attended  to  his  advice,  France  would 
confine  her  ambition  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine,  ana 
would  only  make  war  to  protect;  the  weak  states  and  to 
prevent  any  dismemberment  of  her  possessions.  But  he 
also  admits  that  the  cession  of  Louisiana  is  not  a  dismem- 
bwment  of  France.  Keep  him  informed  of  the  progress 
of  this  affair." 

Thus  it  is  seen  th:;'  according  to  Marbois's  own  ac- 
count, Bonaparte  had  determined,  on  the  10th  of  April, 
to  part  with  Louisiana,  and  that  he  was  as  anxious  to 
«$^  as  the  American  Ministers  to  pwrchase.  Both 
parties,  being  in  such  dispositions,  could  not  fail  to  come 
promptly  to  some  definite  conclusion,  despite  the  little 
coqnettiiig  and  by-play  acted  on  the  part  of  Messrs. 
]^b^  and  Talleyrand,  as  described  by  Mr.  Livingston, 
aHidw^Meh  no  donbt  were  intended  to  enhance  the  value 
of  the  oonmiodity  they  had  to  dijBpp^  o£ 


^-m 


*■ 


Vi 


m 


ceNi' 


%€. 


TREATY  OS"  GBSSION  TO  '*EKE  TJ.  B.  . 

The  treaty  of  cessibn*  ims  ^igtted"^^  ihfi  SOth  6f 
April.  liotHsiana  was  transferred  ;  to  the  XJnit^ 
States,  mtli  all  ita  rights  and  aj^pnrtenanc^  as  fully 
and  in  the  same  manner  as  they  had  h^n  acquired  by 
the  French  Republic  from  %)ain,  on  condition  of  tl^e 
Americans  consenting  to  pay  to  France  eighty  miUioas 
of  francs,  twenty  millions  of  which  should  be  assigned 
to  the  payment  of  what  was  due  by  France  to  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States^  Some  conmiercial  adt^an- 
>  tages  were  beades  stipulated  iu  favor  of  France. 

Article  3  of  the  treaty,  which  reads  as  follows: 
"Hie  inhabitants  of  the  ceded  territory  shall  be  incor- 
porated in  the  Union  of  the  United  States^  and  ad- 
mitted as  soon  as  possible,  according  to  the  principles  of 
the  Federal  Constitution,  to  the  enjoyment  of  all  the 
rights,  advantages  and  immunities  of  citizens  of  the 
United  States ;  and  in  the  meantime  they  shall  be 
maintained  and  protected  in  the  free  enjoyment  of 
their  liberty,  property,  and  "the  religion  which  they 
profess"— Wasj  wrote  Marbois,  prepared  by  the  First 
Consul  himself;  who  said  on  that  occasion:  ''Let  the 
Louisianiaas  know  that  we  separate  ourselves  fron* 
them  wiiii  regret;  that  we  stipidate  in  their  favor 
every  thing  that  they  can  desire,  and  let  them,  hereafter, 
happy  in  their  independence,  recollect  that  they  hav^ 
been  Frenchmen,  and  that  France,  in  ceding  themyhafj 
seeitfed  for  them  advantages  which  they  could  not  have 
obtained  from  an  Em^opean  power,  however  paternal  it 
might  h&v«  been.  Let  them  retain  for  us  sentiments  of 
affection ;  arid  may  their  common  orl^n,  descent,  lan- 
guage, aiid  oustoms^pei^petuate  the  friettds^ip^^^ 

As  soon  as  the  ISi^isters  had  s^nted  the  treatyj-writes 
the  samd  aiitbor,  who  had  116^  sc^^onspicaous  a  p«?titi 
thiit'ln^ieHrtant 'events  th^  rose  «b^  fAkook 


Sm  tbA  Appttnd&t 


:  i ',  j^-..'- 


•I 


^mt 


% 


BIPLOl^TId  HANB^HAEEVG. 


Mr.  Livingston,  fexptessing  the  satisfaction  which  they 
felt,  said:  *^ We  have  lived  long,  but  this  is  the  noblest 
work  of  our  whole  li\re8;  The  treaty  which  we  ha^'^e 
jtiSt  signed  has  not  been  obtained  by  art  or  dictated  by 
for'ce;  equally  advantagxsous  to  the  two  contracting 
pa^es^  it  wUl  change  vast  solitudes  into  flourishing  dis- 
tricts. From  this  day  the  United  States  take  .their 
place  among  the  powers  of  $he  first  rank;  the  English 
lose  att  exclusive  influence  in  the  affiairs  of  America. 
Thus  one  of  the  principal  causes  of  European  rivalries 
and  animosities  is  about  to  cease.  However,  if  wars  are 
inevitable,  France  will  hereafter  have  in  the  New  World 
a  natural  Mend,  that  must  increase  in  strength  from 
year  to  y  ear,  and  one  which  cannot  fail  to  become 
powerfiil  and  respected  in  every  sea.  The  United  States 
will  re-establish  the  maritime  rights  of  all  the  world, 
which  are  now  usurped  by  a  single  nation.  These 
treaties  will  thus  be  a  guarantee  of  peace  and  concord 
among  commercial  stat^.  The  instruments  which  we 
have  ju&t  sij^ed  will  cause  no  tears  to  be  shed :  they 
pre|)are  ages  of  happiness  for  innumerable  generations 
of  hur^an  creatures.  Th6  Mssissippi  fmd  Missouri  will 
see  them  succeed  one  another,  and  multiply,  truly 
worthy  of  the '  regard  and  care  of  Provir  ice,  in  the 
bosom  of  equality,  under  just  laws,  freed  from  the  errors 
of  superstition  and  the  scourges  of  bad  government." 

As  to  the  First  Consul,  when  he  was  informed  of  the 
Conclusion  of  the  treaty,  he  sententiously  .and  propheti- 
cally said :  "  This  accession  of  territory  strengthens  for 
ever  the  power  of  the  United  States;  and  I  have  just 
given  to  ]E^|;Ia)(id  a  maritime  rival,  that  will  sooner  or 
kter  humble  her  pride;'' 

'    Thus  closed  these  niegotiations,  which  I  have  thought 

1:^  iia^^  ^ated  ik  d^ail^  and  wldoh 

ey%tiiat6d  in  the  mid^  ever 


I* 


■^ 


uM' 


1   ! 


-* 


I 


626 


^VAFABTE^S  FBOTRBCnr. 


signed  in  tHe  nineteenth  century,  if  it  be  JQ<dge4  by  itf^ 
consequences  to  the  United  States  and  to  iiie  rest  of  the 
world.  Among  those  consequences  were  the  e^d^nsion 
of  the  area  of  freedom,  an  immense  accretion  to  the 
physical  and  moral  power  of  the  great  American  Re^ 
public,  and  the  subsequent  acquisition  of  the  MoridaS) 
Texas,  OaHfomia,  and  other  portions  of  the  Mexican 
territory.  Oth^  results,  at  least  of  e'qucd  magni- 
tude, may  be  clearly  foreseen,  and  it  may  be  permitted 
to  the  pride  of  patriotism  to  hope  for  the  realization  of 
Bonaparte's  prevision :  "  that  the  day  may  come  when 
the  cession  of  Louisiana  to  the  United  States  shall 
render  the  Americans  too  powerful  for  the  continent 
of  Europe^** 


■M 


•     .,:${.  ._, ., 


# 


,^.*' 


CHAPTER  IX. 


"^ 


SALOEDO  S  ADmSlBTRXTlOJX, 


1801  to  1803. 


As  it  has  been  seen,  the  treaty  of  cession  was  signed 
on  the  30th  of  April.  On  the  Tth  of  May^  Mr*  King 
wrote  from  London  to  Mr.  livingston  and  Monroe :  "  In 
case  of  war,  it  is  the  purpose  of  this  government  (the 
British  government),  to  send  an  expedition  to  occupy 
New  Orleans.  If  it  be  ceded  to  us,  would  it  not  be  ex- 
pedient openly  or  confidentially  to  communicate  the  fact 
here  ?  I  have  reason  to  be  satisfied  that  it  would  pre- 
vent the  projected  expedition.  I  shall  remain  here  till 
the  14th,  in  hopes  that  I  may  receive  your  answer^  which 
may  be  expedited  by  a  courier^  should  tie  communica- 
tion be  deemed  prudent."  The  answer  was :  "We  have 
the  honor  to  inform  you  that  a  treaty  has  been  signed 
(the  30th  April)  between  the  Minister  Henipotentiaiy 
of  ^e  French  government  and  ourselves^  by  which  the 
United  States  have  obtained  the  full  right  to  and  sove- 
reignty in  and  over  New  Orleans  and  the  whole  of  liou- 
isiana)  as  Spain  possessed  the  same.  If  you  diould  find 
it  necessary  to  make  any  communication  to  the  British 
government  on  this  subject,  you  may  likewise  inform 
them,  that  care  has  been  taken  so  to  frame  the  treaty  a/s 
not  to  infringe  upon  any  of  ih©  rights  that  dreat  Britwii 
idight  claim  in  ^e  navigation  of  the  fii^eissippl"    Mr 


'ifM 


?*♦%: 


m' 


53S 


DfPpSTANOB  OF  gCHS  OSSSIQIT. 


■% 


► 


King  i?nmedi.«tely  communicated  tbwiiiformatipa  to  the 
British  goverament,  and,  in  reply,  tord  Hawkesbury 
saH:  "I  have  received  his  Ma^tv^s  coniiraimds  to 
express  to  yon  the  pleasure  with  whi  a  hi$  Majesty  has 
received  this  intelligence." 

"^n  laying  before  the  Seore^iarj'  of  State  all  the  details 
i of  this  negotiation,  Mr.  Livingston  observed:  "As  1 
#  ^  ^li'  e  that,  nesit  to  the  negotiation  that  secured  oui;^, 
independence,  this  is  the  most  important  the  United 
States  have  ever  entered  into,  I  thought  that  every  thing 
that  led  to  it  might  interest  you  and  the  President." 
And,  in  a  joint  despatch  of  the  13th  of  May,  liitessrs. 
Livingston  arid  Monroe  remai'ked:  "  An  jaequisition.  of 
so  great  an  extent  was,  we  well  know,  not  contemplated 
by  our  appointment;  but  we  are  persuaded  that  the 
circumstances  and  considerations  which  induced,  us  to 
make  it,  wiU  justify  us  in  the  measure  to  our  government 
and  country.  * 


#»;i 


* 


* 


* 


"  We  found,  as  we  advanced  in  the  negotiation,  that 

M.  Marbois  was  absolutely  restricted  to  the  disposition 

of  the  whole,  that  he  would  treat  for  no  less  portion, 

and,  of  course,  that  it  was  useless  to  urge  it.    On  mature 

consideration,  therefore,  we  finality  concluded  a  treaty 

on  the  best  terms  we  could  obtain  for  the  whole,       * 
♦  '  *  »  *  »  ♦♦ 

"We  adjust  by  it  the  only  remaining  kno^^m  cauise  of 
variance  with  this  powerful  nation;  WP  a?^^i<>ipatfi  the 
discontent  of  the  great  rival  pi  Fyance,  who  wodld  pro- 
bably liave  been  \(rounded  at  any  stipulation  of  A  pertnar 

nent  ?iature  which  favored  the  Zijliterrftndw^iichi^wOttl^ 
have  been  difficult  to  (iToid,  had  she.  j^ett^ned  %e  Hght 
bank.  W^  cea$e  to  have  a  motjiye  of  urgency  at  W^tf 
for  ipcHning  tjoonepo^i*,  to  avert  th^  iuijiist,pfe»S!ii;e 
q|  another.    W^  sepjurate  oai^lye^iift^^  ^eftl;  jgft«^|p^ 


■* 


'If 


km  to  thi^ 
wkesbury 
[lumds  to 
ijesty  Ixm 

L:  "As  I 
cured  oa^, 
le  United 
very  thing 
^resident." 
ly,  Messrs. 
lisition.  of 
t^mplated 
L  that  the 
iced,  us  to 
svemment 


Eition,  that 
iiapoaition 
s  portion, 
)n  mature 
a  treaty 

le.       * 

* 

cause  of 
aipate  t^e 
^otdid  pro- 
a.  pe^ar 
itwoul^ 


at  W^tf 
presism 


IMPOldrANOE  OS*  THE  0E3SI0N. 


520 


^om  the  Enropeaa  world  and  its  concerns,  especially  its 
wars  and  ilitrigaes.  We  make,  in  fine,  a  great  stride  to 
m&l  and  substantial  independence,  the  great  effect  where 
of  wjll,we  trust,  be  felt  essentially  .md  eictenslvely  in  all 
oar  foreign  and  domestic  relations.  Without  exciting 
the  apprehension  of  any  power,  we  take  a  more  imposing 
attitude  with  respect  to  all.  The  bond  of  our  union 
will  be  strengthened^  and  its  movements  become  more 
harmonious  by  the  increased  parity  of  interests  which 
it  will  eosomanicate  to  the  several  parts  which  compose 

Ifc  wiU  be  recollected  that  when  the  cession  of  Lou- 
isiana by  8paiD  to  Prance  w.^  heard  of,  the  Ministers  of 
the  United  States  in  Paris,  London,  and  Madrid,  had 
made  inquiries  to  ascertain  ^k^^ther  the  Floridas  were 
included  in  thie  cession  as  part  of  Loukiana,  and  had 
expressed  the  opinion  that  they  were  not.  But  that 
opinion  underwent  a  change,  at  least  with  regard  to  a 
portion  of  the  Floridas,  soon  after  the  signing  of  the 
treaty  of  cession  transferring  the  same  province  to  the 
Unit^  States,  such  as  it  had  b^en  acquired,  from  Spain, 
and  Mr.  Livingston,  on  the  20th  of  May,  wrote  as  fol- 
lows to  Mr.  Madison  on  this  subject:  "I  informed  you 
long  since,  that,  on  inquiring  whether  the  Floridas  were 
within  the  cession  of  Spain,  I  was  told  by  M.  Marbois 
he  was  sure  that  Mobile  was,  but  could  not  answer 
farther.  I  believed  his  mformation  incon-ect,  because  I 
understood  i^t  Louisiana,  as  it  then  was,  made  the 
object  (^  the  (session ;  and  that  since  the  possession  of 
&e  Floridas  by  Britain,  they  had  chcmged  their  names. 
But  the  mom^t  I  law  the  words  of  the  treaty  of  Ma- 
drid, I  had  no  ^oqtbt  but  it  included  all  th^  country  that 
France  possftssed  by^rthe  name  ^  Loi#ilui%  previous  to 
tNir  dMon  to  S|iiki,  exeept  wha^  liad  be«n  conveyed 
by  siiM^eiit  ttealtii^.    I  &ec<»r€i]%!^  inflisted  with  M. 

84  ' 


I 


>3sm 

HHf  j> 

Bi^Sn 

■  Jm|<$ 

tPSjHK 

n  iBn  ^ 

WsK 

ifi^i 

^^m 

ft  nil 

^'^. 


'%.  ■% 


^ 


if 


•m 


^•f 


660 


TALLE¥RAND^8  WAT  OF  EZPLAIItTl^G. 


Marbois,  at  the  time  we  negotiate<l,  that  this  would  be 
coiunUelred  as  within  our  purchase.  Be  neitlrer  ftssented 
nor  •lUnied,  but  said  that  all  th  a  reo^Aved  from  Spain, 
was  intended  to  be  conveyerl  to  ij3,  ITiat  m  y  construc- 
tioin  was  righf,  is  fauly  to  be  ioierrod  fro?t.  .he  words 
of  th^r  treaties  and  from  a  comment  upon  them  con- 
tained ii\  the  Sp:>.iii8h  Minister's  letter  to  Mr.  Pinckney, 
in  which  he  expressly  soys,  thai  FraTice  had  recovered 
Louisiana  as  it  forme  dy  belonged  to  lier,  saving  the 
rights  of  other  powerr  ITiis  hiaves  .  o  doabt  upon  the 
subjeir't  of  the  Intention  of  the  contracting  parties. 
Kovv,  it  is  well  known  that  Louisiana,  as  possessed  bjr 
Frunce,  was  bounded  by  the  river  Perdido,  and  that 
Mobile  was  the  metropolis.  For  the  tJacts  relative  to 
this,  I  refer  you  to  Kaynal  and  to  his  maps.  I  have  also 
seen  maps  here  which  put  the  matter  out  of  disput^. 

"  I  called  this  morning  upon  M  Marbois  for  a  further 
explanation  on  this  subject,  and  to  remind  him  of  his 
having  told  me  that  Mobile  made  a  part  of  the  cession. 
Ks  <»ld  me  that  he  had  no  precise  idea  on  the  subject, 
but  that  he  knew  it  to  be  an  historical  fact,  and  that  on 
tLat  only  he  had  formed  his  opinion.  I  asked  him  what 
orders  had  been  given  to  the  Prefect  who  was  to  take 
pos^ssion,  or  w;hat  orders  had  been  ^ven  by  Spain,  as 
to  the  boundary,  in  ceding  it  ?  He  assured  me  that  he 
did  tiot  know ;  "but  that  he  would  make  the  inquiry,  and 
let  me  know.  At  four  o'clock  I  called  for  Mr;  Monroe 
to  take  him  to  the  Minister  of  Foreign  Afl&irs  (Talley- 
rand); but  he  was  prevented  from  accompanying  me. 
I  asked  the  minister  (Talleyrand)  what  were  the  east 
bounds  of  the  territory  eede4  to  us?  He  said  he  did 
not  kttoW ;  we  must  take  it  as  they  had  received  it;  I 
ask^  Mm>w  Spam  meayt  to  »ve  them  poaseseiSn! 
He  said,  according  to  the  words  of  the  treaty.-rBut  what 
did  yott  mean  to  take  ?— I  do  not  kndw.*— "Ili^ii  you 


w 


^ 


0:.' 


WAS  WIST  FLORIDA  CEDED?  sil 

mean  th^  wp  shall  construe  It  oar  own  way?— I  can 
give  jon  no^ection;  yon'  liav6  made  a  noble  bargain 
for  ydnrselves,  and  I  snppose  you  wfll  make  the  most 
of  it. 

_  ''l^ow.  Sir,  the  sum  of  this  business  is,  to  recommend 
to  you,>  in  the  strongest  terms,  after  hamg  obtained  the 
possession  that  the  French  commissarylnll  give  you  to 
msist  upon  this  as  a  part  of  your  right,  and  to  take  pos- 
session,  at  aU  evente,  to  the  river  Perdido,  I  pledge 
piyself  that  your  right  is  good ;  and,  after  the  explant 
tioiw  th^  have  been  given  here,  you  need  apprehend 

''''A'yJ'T^ ^^''^''^  "'®^^«-    Your  ministers  here, 

and  at  JJtadnd,  can  support  your  claim ;  and  the  time  is 

pecuharly  favorable  to  enable  you  to  do  it  Without  the 

t   smallest  risk  at  home.    It  may  also  be  important  to 

anticipate  ^y  designs  that  Britain  may  have  upon  th^t 

coun|ry.    Should  she  possess  herself  of  it,  ftnd  the  war 

tei^i^ate  Wably  for  her,  she  will  not  .^adily  relin- 

quish  IV.    With  this  in  your  hand,  East  Florida  will 

1^  Of  httle  moment,  and  may  be  yours  whenevei^  you 

P^ase..  At  all  events,  proclaim  your  right  and  take 

possession." 

Pn  the  7th  of  June,  Messre.  lavingston  and  Monroe 
pm  said  ma  joint  despatch  to  Mr.  Madison :  «  We  are 
topy  to  have  it  in  our  power  to  assure  you,  that,  on  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  subject,  we  corisider  it  in- 
controver^ble  that  West  Florida  is  comprised  in  the 
cesspn  of  Louisiana."  ^ 

_  Letus  now^ee  the  view  taken  of  this  question  by  the 
J^vegkn^tmot,  It  cannot  be  done  better  than  by 
m^^h^  own  language,  "the  American  negotii 
tor|  8aidhe,-easilyagreed^^ 


■W 


^ 


.f  '^ 


■# 


I 


m 


FKEBTOH  yiXrW  OF  THB  QUBSTIOIf. 


*ft; 


'h^  ha/m  hem  acquti^d  by  the  French  HepuUiCy  hy  virtue 
oj'  fii4  third  article  4>J  the  treaty  conohided  >mth  hie  Oathh 
Uo  ^'ajeeVy  at  St,  Ild^hmsOy  on  the  1^  of  Odtober^  1800^ 
Terms  so  general,  seemed,  however,  to  render  necessary 
some  explanations,  relative  to  the  true  extelit  of  Lobi- 
sian^&c  ♦  ♦  *  *  ^  * 

"There  were  some  historical  and  diplomatic  researches 
on  the  first  occupation  and  earliest  acts  of  sovereignty. 

p    But  they  were  only  attended  with  the  results  usual  in 
such  cases.    Travellers  and  historians  had  hot  left  on 
thw  subject  any  but  vague  and  general  notions ;  they 
^:  had  only  narrated  some  accidents  of  navigation,  some 
acts  of  occupation,  to  which  contradictory  onea  might 
be  opposed.    According  to  old  documeilts,  the  bishopric 
*    of  Louisiana  extended  to  tl&  Pacific  ocean,  and  the  limits 
of  the  diooess  thus  defined  were  secure  from  ail  dispute. 
But  this  was  at  the  most  a  matter  in  expccttmcy,  and , 
the  Indians  of  those  regions  never  had  ai.y  suspicion  of 
the  spiritual  jurisdiction  which  it  was  designed  to  exer- 
cise over  them.    Besides,  it  had  no  connection  with  the 
rights  of  sovereignty  and   'jroperty.    One  important 
point  w«»,  however,  beyond  all  discussion ;  according  t£ 
the  then  esdsting  treaties,  the  course  of  the  Mississippi,' 
in  descending  this  riter  to  the  31st  degree  of  notth  lati- 
tude, formed  the  boundary  line,  leaving  to  the  United 
States  the  country  on  its  left  bank;  to  the  i^ght,  on  the 
other  hand,  there  were  vast  regions  without  well  defined 
bouncUiries,  although  France  had  fomaerly  included  a 

0  great  part  of  them  in  what  was  called  Upper  Loiiisrana; 
This  was  particularly  thfe  case  with  the  territories  td  the 
BqbI)^  ctf  t^  Jifissouri. 
'  ^  :  "  The  Hmits  of  Lotdmana  and  tlonda,  to  the  south  d 
the  aist  degree,  were  not  free  i&*om  some  diaptitijS,  which 
possessed  importance  on  acconnt  of  the  ncighboi^hopd  of 


"^t-xV 


* 


-  i^4« 

m 


ai^Sa, 


FIUSirOH  YIKW  OF  THE  qcwnOIt, 


5a»/ 


wwa,  and  the  embouchure  of  the  rivers.    Hoeever 
this  country  (Florida),  disregarded  by  the  Europeail 
powers  that  sucsceasively  posaeissed  it,  was  scarcely  men- 
tioned  in  the  conferences.    France  had  only  the  smallesfc 
portion  of  it.    The  name  of  Florida  could  nLt  have  been 
inserted  without  preparing  great  oUffictilties  for  the  future. 
**The  boundary  to  the  north  and  north-west  was  stUl 
less  easy  to  describe.   Even  the  course  of  the  I^Cttnssippi 
might  give  rise  to  some  border  disputes ;  for  that  great 
river  receives,  beyond  the  48rd  degree,  several  branches, 
then  regalded  as  its  sources.    A  geographical  chart  was 
before  the  plenipotentiaries.   They  negotiated  with  entilre 
good  feith ;  they  frankly  agreed  that  these  matters  were 
full  of  uncertainty,  but  they  had  no  means  of  quieting 
the  doubts.    The  French  negotiator  said:  *  Even  tins 
map  informs  us  that  many  of  Ihese  countries  ar^^not  bet- 
ter known  at  this  day,  than  when  Columbus  Iwided  at 
the  Bahamas ;  no  one  is  acquainted  with  Jhem.    The 
English  themselves  have  never  explored  them.   TheciB^ 
cmnstances  are  too  pressing  to  permit  us  to  concert  mafc- 
ters  on  this,  subject  with  the  court  of  Madrid.    It  would 
be  too  fong  before  this  discussion  could  be  terminatedv 
and  pWhaps  that  government  would  wish  to  consult  the 
Viceroy  of  Mesica   Is  it  not  better  for  the  United  States 
to  abid«  by  a  general  siapolatioH,  a:^  sine^  these  terri^ 
tones  arestiU  at  this  d^f<»  the  most  pa;rt)  m  possession 
of  thie^dii^  await  future  arrangements,  oir  leave  th# 
matter  open  for  the  treaty  stipulations  th»t  the  Unite4 
State*  in;r^;nafce  with  them  and  Spafaj  ^   In  granting^ 
Cfflwda  td  the  E^lish  at  the  peaoeof^l'Tea,  we  only^3&< 
tended  to  ce^pfen  to  the  countey  ihat^^e  possessed^    ^ 
is,  hoover,  ara  consequence  of  that  treaty^  ite  England 
b^^^ipied  terrilory  iio  the  Wes^^^ 
IWieM  Oeep.'  !  l^lieth^  iibe  Americim  pfe^otea^ 
ti^  1^  themsislv^  de^i^  #afe  i?a^ft<^^d  to; 


%.. 


% 


t 


684 


BPADT'^  PaOTEST. 


.1'. 


them,  or  that  these  words  afforded  them  a  ray  of  Hght, 
they  declared  that  they  kept  to  the  terms  of  the  8rd 
article  of  the  treaty  of  St.  Ildephoiiso,  which  was  inserted 
entire  in  the  first  article  of  the  treaty  of  cesMon. 

"  M.  Marbois,  who  offered  the  draft,  said  several  times : 
*  The  first  a/rtide  ma/y  m  time  give  rise  to  diffiovHUeeythat 
we  at  ilm  dwy  inaurmotmtahle.  Bvi  if  thiy  do  not  etop 
you,  /,  at  least,  desire  that  y&u/r  government  shmM  know 
that  you  have  been  woumed  of  thenu 

"The  French  negotiator,  in  rendering  an  acconnt  of 
the  conference  to  the  First  Consul,  pointed  oat  to  Mm 
the  obscurity  of  this  article  and  the  inconveniences  of  so 
uncertain  a  stipulation.  He  replied :  '  iJutt  if  m  obsm- 
rit/y  did  not  already  exist,  it  woM  perha^ps  he  goodjpdldcy 
to  put  one  tJiere.^ 

Whatever  was  the  true  territorial  extent  of  Louisiana, 
whether  it  included  part  of  the  Floridas  or  not,  Spain 
immediately  protested  against  the  treaty  of  cession,  and 
her  Minister  at  Washington,  the  Marquis  de  Casa  Irigo, 
addressed  the  following  note  to  the  Secretaiy  of  State 
on  the  4th  of  September :  "Through  the  medium  of  the 
ambassador  of  the  King  my  master,  in  Paris,  it  has  come 
to  his  royal  knowledge,  that  that  government  has  sold 
to  that  o  he  United  States  the  province  of  Louisiana, 
which  his  Majesty  had  retroceded  to  the  French  Repub^ 
lie.  This  information  has  occasioned  to  the  King*  my 
master,  no  small  surprise,  seeing  that  the  French  Govern- 
ment had  conlaractod  with  his  Iilajesty  the  naoat  solemn 
%ngagementa  never  to  alienate  the  said  province.  In 
order  to  convince  the  Gbvernment  of  the  United  States 
of  the  nature  of  these  engagements,  I  take  the  liberty 
here  to  insert  a  paragraph  of  a  note  presented  on  the 
22df^  Wjv  1802,  by  M.  de  St  Oyr,  ambassador  of  the 
French  Republic,  at  Madrid,  to  the  Secretary  o^  ®*^*® 
of  his  M^e8ty,>a8  fbUoiys :  . ; 


■.,i 


-'vatyamr  or  sPAor. 


/V  ■ 


6UT 

-^  j7«9  CMoUc  Mo^Mty  haaojppeared  to  wUh  that  France 
should  engage  not  tonll  nordUenate  in  amy  Tmmner^  the 
property  and  the  er^oymeiU  of  Zoumana.  Ma  wish  in 
this  respect  ispetfedly  conformable  toith  the  intentions  of 
the  Spmish  Oovemment ;  a/nd  its  sole  moiiwefor  entetnng 
therein  was  because  it  respected  a  possession  which  had 
(ionstUwted  a  pa/rt  of  the  French  territory,  lam  ofu^hor- 
ized  to  deciare  to  you  in  the  name  of  the  Mrst  Coneul  that 
France  toiU  never  alienate  it^ 

''  The  mere  reading  of  the  paragraph  which  precedes 
will  convince  yon  as  well  as  the  Presidept  of  the  United 
States,  that  the  sale  of  Louisiana  which  France  has  lately 
made  is  a  manifest  violation  of  the  obligations  contracted 
by  her  with  his  Catholic  Majesty,  and  that  France  wants 
the  powers  to  alienate  the  said  province  without  the 
approbation  of  Spain,  aa  is  seen  incontestably  in  the  ^ 
above  recited  note  of  the  ambassador  St.  Cyr,  authorized 
by  his  government. 

*^The  King,  my  master,  charges  me  to  inform  this 
government,  as  soon  as  possible,  of  this  important  cir- 
cametmce ;  mi,  in  compliance  with  lis  royal  will,  I  has- 
ten  to  acquaint  you  therewith,  in  order  that  it  may,  as 
i^oon  as  possible,  como  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Preeddent 
of  the  United  States.^ 

On  the  2Yth  of  the  same  monih  (September),  the 
Marquis  de  Gasa  Irujo  retumt^d  to  the  subject,  and  said 
in  a  communication  to  Mr.  Madison :  "  On  the  4th  cur- 
rent, I  had  the  honor  to  intimate  to  you  the  eztraordi- 
i^ary  surprise  with  which  the  King,  my  master,  had 
h&^d  of  the  sfde  of  Louisiana,  niade  to  the  United 
%t^;  in  contravention  of  the  most  sblemn  assurances 
giyen  in  writing  to  his  Majesty,  by  the  ambassador  of 
thel^nch  S^bM«;»'!ietti'  luK  pestion,  iMitd  with  the  con- 
selit  and  approbattoi^  of  the  First  Oimsul.  The  King, 
my  Mastery  eharges  me  agaM  to  remind  the  American 


ii-.A 


M 


M^i 


^;h\ 


586 


MR.  MADISON  0:N    ItUi.  PROTEST. 


# 


■« 


■W 


i  i 


Government,  that  the  saiti  French  ambasMidor  entered, 
in  the  name  of  his  Bepablio^  into  the  positive  engage- 
ment that  France  never  would  aliian^te  Loniwano,  and  to 
observo  to  it  that  the  sale  of  this  province  to  the  United 
States  is  founded  in  the  violation  of  a  promise  so  absolute- 
that  it  ought  to  be  respected ;  a  promise  without  which 
the  King  my  master  wouldj  in  no  manner,  have  dispos- 
sessed himself  of  Louisiana.  His  Catholic  Msyesty  enter- 
tains too  good  an  opinion  of  the  character  of  probity  and 
good  faith  which  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
has  known  how  to  obtain  so  justly  for  itself,  not  to  hope 
that  it  will  suspend  the  ratification  and  effect  of  a  treaty 
which  rests  on  such  a  basis.  There  are  other  reasons  no 
less  powerful,  which  come  to  the  support  of  the  decorum 
and  respect  which  nations  mutually  owe  each  other. 
France  acquired  from  the  King,  my  master,  the  retroces- 
sion of  Louisiana  under  obligations  whose  entire  fulfil- 
ment was  absolutely  necessary  to  give  her  the  complete 
right  over  the  swd  pi*ovinee";  such  was  that  of  causing 
the  King  of  Tuscany  to  be  acknowledged  by  the  Powers 
of  Europe ;  but,  until  now,  the  French  Government  has 
not  procured  this  acknowledgment,  promised  and  stipu- 
lated, either  from  the  Court  of  London,  or  from  that  of 
St.  Petersburgh.  Under  such  circumstances,  it  is  evident 
that  the  treaty  of  sale  entered  into  between  France  and 
the  United  States  does  not  give  to  the  latter  any  right 
to  acquire  and  claim  Louisiana^  and  that  the  principles 
of  justice  as  weU  as  sound  policy  ought  to  recommend 
it  to  their  government  not  to  meddle  with  engagements, 
as  contrary  in  reaKty  to  th^ir  tnw  intercists,  asthey  woidd 
be  ta  good  faith  and  to  tfeeir  good  cOTrespondence  wiih 

Spain;*' 

Mr.lfadisoii  comm^micated  t^  Mr.  living- 

6ton  at'PariSj.  to  whom  h»  bsM.  m  a  despati^  of.  the^6th 
of  October:  "The  objectioni*  tothe  c^OP,  a^^AJ^ced 


m 


JIB.  MASaaOHf   ON  TKB  PUOTEST. 


58t 


by  Spain,  are  in  fact  too  futile  to  weigh  either  with 
others  or  with  herself.  The  promifto  made  by  the 
French  ambassador,  that  no  alienatbn  should  be  made, 
^M'med  no  part  of  the  treaty  of  retrocession  to  France ; 
and,  if  it  had,  would  have  no  effect  on  the  purchase  by 
the  United  States,  which  was  made  in  good  faith,  with- 
out notice  from  Spain  of  any  such  condition,  and  even 
with  sufficient  evidence  that  no  such  condition  existed. 
The  objection  drawn  from  the  failure  of  the  French  go- 
vernment to  procure  from  other  powers  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  King  of  Etruria,  is  equally  groundless.  This 
stipulation  was  nevev  communicated  either  to  the  public 
Or  to  the  United  States,  and  could,  therefore,  be  no  bar 
to  the  contract  made  by  them.  It  might  be  added,  that, 
as  the  acknowledgm<^nt  -stipulated  was,  according  to  the 
words  of  the  article,  to  precede  possession  by  the  King 
of  Etruria,  the  overt  possession  by  him  was  notice  to 
the  world  that  the  conditions  on  which  it  depended  had 
either  been  fulfilled,  or  had  been  waived.  Finally,  no 
particular  Powers,  whose  acknowledgment  was  to  be 
procured,  are  named  in  the  article ;  and  the  existence  of 
war  jetween  Great  Britain  and  France,  at  the  time  of 
the  stipnlation,  is  a  proof  that  the  British  acknow'ledg- 
ment,  the  want  of  which  is  now  alleged  as  a  breach  of 
the  treaty,  could  never  have  been  in  its  contemplation. 

*^  But  the  conduct  of  the  Spanish  government^  both 
towairds  the  United  States  and  France,  is  a^  complete 
oaswOT  to  every  possible  objecticm  to  the  treaty  between 
them.  That  goveiT^ment  weU  knew  the  wish  of  the 
United  States  to  acquiro  certam  territories  which  it  had 
c^ed  to  Franee^  and  that  they  were  in  negotiation  with 
France  on  the  subject;'  yet  the  slightest  hint  was  never 
given  that  Frao^e  had  nicy ^li^pxt  to^^alieniitejiop'even  that 
an  alienation  to  the  United  S^te&woul4  be  diuagreeaUe 
to^SpaiUi    On  the  contrary,Hhe  mimster  of  his  Catholic 


# 


>^-^; 


♦  " 


i;i^] 


M 
mi 

»*■■  w  ■  U 

I 

I 


m 


|V 


.-^ 


58S 


MB.  HAIDJDSON  OTS  THE  PROTEST. 


Majesty,  in.  an  officuil  note,  beaiing  dat6  May  4tli  last, 
gave  ij^ormation  to  tlie  ministei*  of  the  United  States  at 
Madrid,  thM  the  entire  province  of  LtyudHoma^  with  the 
Umit^Uhad  when  held  by  M'anodjWaa  reiroceded  to  that 
power ^  mid  that  the  United  States  might  address  ih&n- 
sehea  to  the  J^rench  goverimient  in  order  to  negotiate  the 
acquisition  of  the  territories^hieh  wovld  svit  their  wie- 
9*est.  Here  is  at  once  a  formal  and  irrevocable  recogni- 
tion of  tlie  right  as  well  of  France  to  conveyj  as  of  the 
United  States  to  rebeive,  the  territory  which  is  the  sub- 
ject of  the  treaty  between  them.  More  than  this  cannot 
be  required  to  silence,  for  ever,  the  cavils  of  Spain  at 
the  titles  of  France,  now  vested  in  the  United  States ; 
yet,  for  more  thwi  this,  she  may  be  referred  to  her  own 
measures  at  New  Orleans,  preparatory  to  the  deliveiy 
of  possession  to  France;  to  the  promulgation,  under 
Spanish  authority  at  that  place,  that  Louisiana  was  re- 
troceded,  and  to  be  delivered  to  France ;  and  to  the 
orders  signed  by  his  Catholic  Majesty*8  own  hand,  now 
ready  to  be  presented  to  the  government  of  Louisiana, 
for  the  delivery  of  the  province  to  the  person  duly  au- 
thorized by  France  to  receive  it. 

"In  a  word,  the  Spanish  government  has  interposed 
two  objections  only  to  the  title  conveyed  to  the  United 
States  by  France.  It  is  said,  first,  that  the  title  in  the 
United  States  is  not  good,  because  France  w«s  bound 
not  to  alienate.  To  this  it  is  answered,  that  the  Spanish 
government  itself  refored  the  United  States  to  France, 
as  the  Power  capable,  and  the  only  Power  capable,  of 
conveyiiig  the  territory  in  qu^tion.  It  is  said,  next, 
that  the  title  in  France  herself  is  not  good.  To  this,  ii 
the  same  answer  were  less  dedsive,  the  orders  of  the 
King  of  Spain  for  putting  France  into  possession  are  an 
^wer  that  admits  of  no  reply."     *  *  * 

»     ■,   «  *  #  *  ♦  ♦ 


w 


^. 


#■' 


4 


MB.  ICABISON  OIT  THE  PROTEST. 


539 


Mr.  Madison  added:  *' The  rightful  limits  of  Louisiana 
are  under  investigation.  It  seems  undeniable  from  the 
present  st^  of  the  evidence^  that  it  extends  eastwardly 
1^^;^)  at  least,  as  the  river  Perdido;  and  there  is  little 
donht>  that  we  shall  make  good  both  a  western  and 
northern  extent  highly  satisfectory  to  us.'* 

On  the  12th  of  October^  the  Marquis  de  Casalrujo 
addressed  to  Mr.  Madison  another  communication,  in 
which  he  resumed  the  argument  to  prove  that  Spain  wa|S 
right  in  prot^ting  against  the  execution  of  the  treaty 
of.  cession:  '^I  have  received,"  said  he,  "your  letter  of 
the  4th  current  in  reply  to  those  which  I  had  the  honor 
to  write  to  you  on  the  4th  and  2'7th  of  the  last  month ; 
and  as,  without  entering  into  the  examination  of  the 
powen^  reasons  which,  in  the  name  of  the  King  my 
master,  I  unfolded  therein,  against  the  sale  of  Louisiana, 
you  refer  generally  to  the  explanations  which,  as  you 
inform  me,  the  minister  of  the  United  States  near  his 
Majesty  is  to  make  at  Madrid,  I  shall  at  present  confine 
my  observations  to  that  which  you  are  pleased  to  make 
to  me,  fom^ded  upon  certain  expressions  which  you  cite 
to  me  from  an  official  letter  of  the  Secretary  of  State  of 
the  King  my  master,  to  the  above  mentioned  American 
minister  in  Spain.    The  expressions  81*0  the  following : 

""By  1^  r^ooescUm  made  to  Framoe  af  JLomaicmay 
tJjda  pmoer  Tiaa  recovered  Ihe  sM  province  with  the  Umits 
which  U  had,  and  samng  the  rights  aoqmred  hy  othefr 
powers:  The  United  States  cam,  address  themsehes  to  the 
French  govenvment  to  Tiegotiate  the  acqvdsition  of  territory 
which  may  suit  their  i/nterests* 

"These  expressions,  which  you  consider  as  an  expUeit 


M 


•iA-f-i 


*!  For  Itt '  Mtroc«don  beoha.i  1«  Fnaol*  d«  la  Laisiana,  reeolM;6  '«st»  peteotia 
dusba  provinoia  ooa  los  limitM  con  qiie  la  tabo,  y  ssItm  los  dereohos  aoc[mridofi 
pc^  otraa  pdtenci8&  I41  de  lew  Ettadoa  tTnidoi  poM'  diligiHw  al  gobienio  ]^n- 
eto  {lava  ncgooiar  la  adquideion  de  tenritoriqa  que  eonrtagan  ft  m  iateres. 


it 


^m 


# 


540 


QABAmU^O  TO  MK«  MADISON. 


! 


and  positive  acknowledgmentof  the  right  of  l^eUaited 
Stat^  and  iEranceto  enter  iato  the  engagements  which 
they  afterwards  did,  do  not,  in  my  o|iinion,  weaken,  in 
any  manner,  the  foundation  and  the  force  of  the  repre? 
sentationa  which  I  have  had  the  honor  to  make  to  you 
against  the  sale  of  Louisiana. 

"There  is  an  expression  among  those  yon  cite,  which 
will  suffice  to  refute  the  inference  you  draw  from  them, 
and  it  is  that  of  savmg  the  rights  acquired  by  other  pow- 
ers. Although  the  general  form  of  this  expression  gives, 
in  other  respects,  much  latitude  to  its  true  meaning,  it 
is  indubitable  that  Spain  having  made  the  retrocession 
of  Louisiana  to  France,  under  certain  conditions  and 
modifications,  Spain  has  the  undoubted  right  to  claim 
their  execution.  Of  this  nature  was  the  stipulation  that 
France^  should  not  sell  nor  alienate  Louisiana  in  any 
manner  whatever,  and  likewise  the  solemn  ar  1  positive 
accession  and  declaration  oi  the  French  government 
adhering  to  the  wishes  of  Spain ;  consequently  this  ex- 
pression destroys  the  possibility  that,  according  to  exist- 
ing circumstances,  the  French  government  should  possess 
the  right  of  selling  the  said  province,  or  the  government 
of  the  United  States  that  of  buying  it. 

"There  is  another  consideration  still  stronger,  and 
whioh  is  not  at  all  subject  to  the  interpretation  of  equi- 
vocal expressions.  It  is  evident  that  the  engagement 
entered  into  by  France  with  Spain  not  to  alienate  Lou- 
isiana in  any  manner,  is  much  older  in  date  than  tbe 
official  letter  of  M.  Cevallos,  whose  eicpressions  you  are 
pleased  to  cite  to  me.  In  that  letter,  those  which  you ' 
have  scored :  that  i^  United  St^ites  ccm  address  them- 
siA)es  to  the  French  government  to  negotiate  the  acquisi- 
tion of  the  t^ritcyry  which  ma^  suU  ihei^  iiderests^  neither 
signify  nor  can  signify  any  thing  but  a  deference  towai'ds 
France,  whose  government  alone  is  now  concerned  .t6 


# 


# 


OASA  mtr JO  ix)  mb.  mahhbon. 


541 


give  a  decisire  answer  to  Ifae  wqnests  of  iJie  United 
States,-— an  answer  analc^mis  and  conformable  to  the 
nature  of  the  previous  engagements  which  had  been  en- 
tered into  with  Spain.  The  repugnance  of  the  Spanish 
government  may  likewise  be  recognised  to  give  to  that 
of  the  United  States  a  necessary  negative,  at  a  time  when 
it  found  itself  united  with  them  by  bonds  of  the  most 
sincere  friendship. 

"  Other  interpretations  of  equal  force  may  be  derived 
from  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  expressions  of  the  of- 
ficial letter  of  the  Secretary  of  State  of  his  Majesty 
mentioned  by  you ;  but  as  those  which  I  have  just  made 
are„in  my  opinion,  conclusive;  I  abBtain  from  entering 
upon  others  in  detail,  and  I  take  the  liberty  to  call  to 
them  the  attention,  as  well  of  yourself  as  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  in  order  that  you  may  be 
more  and  more  convinced  of  the  reason  and  justice  with 
which  the  King,  my  master,  objects  to  the  ratification  of 
u  treaty  founded  upon  a  manifest  violation  of  the  most 
sacred  engagements  entered  into  by  France." 

Mr.  Madison  communicated  to  Mr.  Pinckney,  the 
American  Minister  at  !;^  ?  irid,  all  the  arguments  which 
he  had  used  to  refute  the  pretensions  of  Spain,  and  said : 
"  The  President  thinks  it  proper,  that  they  ^ould,  with- 
out delay,  be  conveyed  to  the  Spanish  government, 
either  by  a  note  trom  you  or  in  conversation,  as  you  may 
deem  most  expedient,  and  in  a  tbrm  and  style  best  unit- 
ing the  advantages  of  making  that  government  sensible 
of  the  absolute  determination  of  the  United  States  to 
maintain  their  right,  with  the  propriety  of  avoiding  un- 
dignified menace  and  unnecessary  irritation. 

"The  conduct  of  Spain,  on  this  occasion,  is  such  as 
was,  in  several  views,  little  to  be  expected,  and  as  is  not 
readily  explained.  If  her  ohjcpt  be  to  extort JUjuisiana 
from  France,  as  well  as  4o  prevent  its  transfer  to  the 


.^■ 


'u<^ 


■f*-,i: 


0- 


# 


m 


542 


liAOmoiX  TO  PINOKNET. 


United  States,  it  would  seem  that  dlie  must  be  embold- 
ened by  an  tmderstanding  witb  some  other  yerjrpowei^ 
ful  quarter  of  Europe.  If  she  hbpes  to  prey:Ml  on 
France  to  break  her  engagement  to  the  United  States^ 
and  vbluntarily  restore  Lpuisiana  to  herself,  why  has  ghe 
so  absurdly  blended  with  the  project  the  offensive  oom^ 
munication  of  the  perfidy  which  she  chargcjs  on  the  First 
Consul  ?  If  it  be  her  aim  to  prevent  the  execution  of 
the  treaty  between  the  United  States  and  France,  in 
order  to  have;  for  her  neighbor  the  latter  instead  of  the 
United  States,  it  is  not  difficult  to  show  that  she  »2is^ 
takes  the  lesser  for  the  greater  damage  against  which 
she  wishes  to  provide.  Admitting,  as  she  may  possibly 
suppose,  that  Louisiana,  as  a  French  colony,  would  be 
less  able,  as  well  as  less  disposed,  than  the  United  States, 
to  encroach  on  her  southern  possessions,  and  that  it 
would  be  too  much  occupied  wi+h  its  own  safety  agaifcst 
the  United  States  to  turn  i^s  force  on  the  other  side 
against  her  possessions,  still  it  is  obvious,  in  the  first 
place,  that,  in  pro^  jrtion  to  the  want  of  power  in  the 
French,  che  co^^ny  lYQ^d  be  safe  for  Spain ;  that  com- 
pared with  tl  ?  power  of  the  United  States,  the  colony 
would  be  in"^ -efficient  as  a  barrier  against  the  United 
States ;  and,  iu  the  next  place,  that  the  very  security 
which  she  provides,  would  itself  be  a  source  of  the 
greatest  of  all  the  dangers  she  has  to  apprehend.  The 
collisions  between  the  United  States  and  the  French 
would  lead  to  a  contest,  in  which  Great  Britain  would 
naturally  j6in  the  former,  and  in  which  Spain  would,  of 
course,  be  on  the  side  of  the  latter;  and  what  becomes 
of  Louisiana  and  the  Spanish  possessions  beyond  it,  in  a 
contest  between  the  powers  so  marshaDed? — An  easy 
and  certain  victim  to  the  fleets  of  Greait  Biitaijx  and  the 
land  armies  of  this  country.     A  combination  of  these 


^>fy 


'ff^' 


MASiffiON  TO  PINOKNET. 


543 


forces  wa»  always,  and  justly,  dreaded  by  both  Spain 
and  France.  It  was  this  danger  wldcli  led  both  into 
our  revolutionary  war,  and  much  inconsisteLcy  and 
weakness  is  chargeable  on  the  projects  qi  either  which 
tend  to  re-unite  for  the  purposes  of  war,  the  power 
which  has  been  divided.  France,  by  returning  to  her 
or^nal  policy,  has  wisely,  by  her  late  treaty  with  the 
United  States,  obviated  a  danger  which  would  not  have 
been*  very  remote.  Spain  wiU  be  equally  wise  in  follow- 
ing the  example ;  and,  by  acquiescing  in  an  arrangement 
which  guards  against  an  early  danger  of  controversy 
between  the  United  States,  first  with  Prance,  and  then 
with  herself,  and  which  removes  to  a  distant  day  the 
approidmation  of  the  American  and  Spanish  settleiuents, 
provides  in  tli'^  pcst  possible  manner  for  the  security  of 
the  latter,  and  for  a  lasting  harmony  with  the  United 
States.  What  is  it  that  Spain  dreads  ?  She  dreads,  it 
is  presumed,  the  growing  power  of  this  country,  and  the 
direction  of  it  against  her  possessions  within  its  reach. 
Can  ^e  annihilate  this  power  ?  No.  Can  she  sensibly 
retard  its  growth  ?  No.  Does  not  common  prudence 
then  advise  her  to  conciliate,  by  every  proof  of  confi- 
dence and  friendship,  the  good-will  of  a  nation  whose 
power  is  formidiible  to  her ;  instead  of  yielding  to  the 
ii  ipulses  of  jealousy,  and  adopting  obnoxious  precau- 
tions which  can  have  no  other  effect  than  to  bring  on, 
prematurely,  the  whole  weight  of  the  calamity  which 
she  fears?  Reflections,  such  as  these,  may,  peiliaps, 
enter  with  some  advantage  into  your  communications 
with  the  Spanish  government ;  and,  as  far  as  they  may 
be  invited  by  favorable  occasions,  you  will  make  that 
use  of  them." 

Ith&d  beea  thought  proper  to  communicate  t,o  I_. 
Pichon,  the  French  Chargi^'Affaires  at  Washington, 


ii 


1  •■>■;  .'.v- 


.1.  i''.'\i'    <H' 


if^ii 


# 


m 


^u 


THE  FRENCH  OHAKGE   OK  THE  PROTEST. 


4 


w^ 


the  tenor  of  tiie  notes  from' the  MarctuiS'de  Casalnijo, 
and,  in  ife|>ly,M.  Rchon  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of 
fetate,  on  the  14th  of  October,  the  fblljowing  note :     *  *^> 

^The  undersigned,  to  whom  the  Secretary  of  State 
has  been  pleased  to  communicate  the  proceedings  of  the 
Minister  of  his  Catholic  Majesty  to  the  United  States, 
in  relation  to  the  treaty  by  which  the  French  Kepublic 
has  ceded  Louisiana  to  the  United  States,  thinks  that 
he  owes  it  to  his  own  government  as  well  as  to  the 
American  government,  to  present  to  Mr.  Mfvdison  the 
observations  of  which  those  proceedings,  as  far  as  they 
attack  the  rights  and  even  the  dignity  of  the  French 
government,  have  appeared  to  him  susceptible.  :ir: 

"The  Court  of  Madrid,  according  to  the  notes  of  its 
Minister,  considers  the  cebsioa  made  by  France  to  the 
United  States  as  irregular  and  invalid:  1° — ^becauise 
France  has  renounced  the  right  of  alienating  the  terri- 
tories in  question:  2'— because  the  treaty  of  St;  Ilde- 
phonso,  by  which  Spain  retroceded  those  territories  to 
France,  has  not  been  fuUy  executed  with  respect  to  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  King  of  Etruria — ^an  acknow- 
ledgment which  was  one  of  the  conditions  of  the  retro- 
cession to  be  fulfilled  by  France. 

"  On  the  first  point,  the  undersigned  will  observe 
that  the  treaty  of  St.  Ildephonso  retrocedes  Louisiana  in 
foil  sovereignty,  and  without  any  limitation  as  to  the 
fiitm^e  domain  of  France.  To  operate  a  limitation  so 
t  iscntial  as  is  that  to  which  the  Court  of  Madrid  appeals, 
nothing  less  tn  >ald  have  been  necessary,  according  to 
the  nature  of  contracts  in  general  and  of  treaties  in 
particular,  Hh&n  a  stipulation  to  tiiis  eff^t  inserted  in 
the  treaty  itself.  A  promise  made  fifteen  months  after 
the  signature  of  this  pact,  axid  wtiic^  mighty  m.  one  side, 
have  been  yielded  to  the  solicitations  of  one  &£  ^e  con- 
tracting parties,  and,  on  the  other,  dictated  by  the  dis- 


im\'  i 


'•AIL 
THE  FBENqS  O0ARO£  0K  THE  PBOTBST.  545 

pdsiliQus  wlullijQ;iig]it  then  exist  la  the  other  party,  bat 
which  tdteriar  circamataaces  onght  have  changed— ^uch 
a  promise  cannot  create  in  favor  of  Spain  a  right  saffi- 
cient  to  Enable  her  to  charge  with  invalidity- the  trans 
actions  which  hav^  contravened  it.  The  contrary  pre- 
tensions woald  certainly  confoand  all  the  principles 
relative  to  the  nature  of  obligations,  and  woald  de- 
stroy the  solemnity  of  treaties.  These  general  reason- 
ings would  receive  a  new  force  from  the  circumstances 
which  are  pecoliar  to  different  nations  in  relation  to  the 
subject  of  pacts;  but  the  ulidersigned  will  not  eat.6r 
into  the  examination  of  these  circumstances,  under  the 
persuasion  that  general  principles  sufficiently  repel  the 
pretensions  of  the  Court  of  Madrid.  ^ 

"On  the  second  point,  the  objections  of  that  Court 
do  not  ajppear  to  the  undersigned  to  be  better  founded. 
It  is  known  that  the  King  of  Etrmm  wns  placed  on  the 
throne  since  the  treaty  of  St.  Udephonso.  We  have  a 
right  to  suppose,  that  his  Catholic  Majesty  was  satisified 
from  that  period  with  the  measures  and  efforts  employed 
by  France  to  cause  the  title  of  thia  Prince  to  be 
adbnowkdged  by  the  other  nations.  It  is  at  least  what 
m%ht  be  concluded  from  facts  within  the  knowledge  of 
the  whole  worid*  In  the  treaty  of  Aimens,  concluded 
on  the  27<fc  of  March,  1802,  Great  Britain  did  not 
ackniQwledge  the  Kii^  of  Etruria.  Notwithstanding  the 
silence  of  th^. Court  of  London,  on  so  solemn  an  occasion, 
that  of  Madrid  ordered,  in  the  month  of  October  follow- 
ing, tlw  deUvcFy  <>f  the  colony  to  France,  as  is  proved 
by  the  royal  ceduk^  which  the  undersigned  has  received 
add  exhibited  to  Mr.  Madison ;  a  cedula,  which,  as  aU 
the  World  knows,  was  long  ago  forwarded  to  the  Captain 
Grmieral  of  Gubf,  who  sent  the  Marquis  de  Casa  Calvo  to 
New  Orleans  to  superintend  its  execution. 

*V^!0  these  conclusive  observations  the  undersigned 
%  35 


1^- 


m 


^Hr 


m 


■■■'■">■:■■, 


#' 


1?= 


I 


\ 


m 


6 


THS  FRENCH  CBABJQ'A  OK  TBE  PBOTEST. 


will  add,  tbat  the  Court  of  Madrid  D^^t  have  been 
informed  in  the  course  of  the  month  of  February  \tiat, 
hy  its  Minister  to  the  United  States,  tha,t  the  Americlin 
government  was  sending  to  Paiis  a  Minister  Extraordi- 
nary, in  order  to  negotiate  with  the  French  Government 
the  acquisitioif  of  Jf ew  Orleans.  If  the  Court  of  Ms^ 
drid  had  seen,  in  the  object  of  this  mission,  an  injury 
offered  to  its  rights,  what  prevented  it,  after  being  thus 
early  apprised,  from  informing  thereof  the  Minister  of 
the  United  States  at  Paris,  and  the  French  government, 
and  from  interposing,  before  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty, 
its  intervention  in  a  form  adapted  to  suspend  it?  It 
does  not  appear  that  that  court  has  taken,  at  Paris,  any 
steps  of  this  nature.  To  suppose  it,  would  be  inconsis- 
tent with  the  instructions  which  the  undersigned  has 
received  from  his  government,  to  accelerate  as  much  as 
is  in  his  power  the  execution  of  the  treaty  concluded  on 
the  80th  of  April  last,  between  the  French  Republic 
and  the  United  States. 

"The  undersigned  therefore  hopes,  that  the  American 
government  will  not  see  in  the  proceedings  of  the  court 
of  Madrid,  in  order  to  obstruct  the  execution. of  this 
treaty,  any  thing  but  specious  reasonings,  and  will  pro- 
ceed to  its  execution  with  the  same  earnestness  which 
the  French  government  has  employed  on  its  part.  The 
undersigned  has  received  the  necessary  orders  to  ex- 
change the  ratifications  and  effect  the  takii^  of  posses- 
sion of  Louisiana  by  France,  and  its  transfer  to  the 
United  States.  He  does  not  presume  that  the  court  of 
Madrid  wouM  wish  to  oppose  the  execution  of  the  firat 
orders.  This  supposition  would  be  as  contrary  to  its 
loyalty  as  to  the  dignity  of  the  Frencu  government.  In 
any  event,  as  soon  as  the  ratifications  are  exchanged,  the 
undesigned  will  proceed  without  delay,  in  concert  with 
the  commissary  appointed  for  that  purpose  by  the  First 


M. 


THfi  PREBIDENI^S  MESSAOB  IN  1808. 


^ 


647 


tJoiwril,  to  tUf  ittiiv^ify  of  th«  colony  to  the  persons  whom 
the  IMd^t  of  the  United  States  shaU  aj^int  to  take 
pdsse^on  of  it** 

On  the  17^  of  October,  Congress  aasemWed  at  Wash- 
ington agreeably  to  the  proclamation  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  who,  in  his  message^  tl^iia  refenred 
to  the  purchase  of  I^^nisiana:  >    , 

"  Congress  witnessed,  at  their  late  session,  the  extraor* 
dinary  agitation  produced  in  the  public  mind  by  the 
suspension  of  our  right  of  deposit  at  the  port  of  New 
Orleans,  no  assignment  of  another  place  having  bc^in 
made  according  to  treaty.  They  were  sensible  that  the 
continuation  of  that  privation  would  be  more  injurious 
to  our  nation  than  any  consequences  which  could  flow 
from  any  mode  of  redress;  but,  reposing  just  confidence 
in  the  good  faith  of  the  government  whose  officer  had 
Committed  the  wrong,  friendly  and  reasonable  repre?en- 
tfttiofls  were  resorted  to,  and  the  ri^t  of  deposit  was 
restored. 

"  Previous,  however,  to  this  period,  we  had  not  been 
unaware  of  the  danger  to  which  otir  peace  would  be  per- 
petually exposed,  whibt  so  important  a  key  to  the  com- 
merce of  the  Weston  country  remsdned  under  a  foreign 
power.  Difficulties  too  were  presenting  themselves  as 
to  the  navigation  of  other  streams,  which,  arising  within 
our  territories,  pass  through  those  adjacent.  Propositions 
had  therefore  been  authorized  for  obtaining,  on  fair  con- 
ditions, the  sovereignty  of  New  Orleans,  and  of  other 
pOssessic«i8  in  that  qualter,  interesting  to  our  quiet,  to 
sudi  exteiit  as  was  deemed  practicable;  and  the  provi- 
sional appropriation  of  two  millions  of  dollars,  to  be 
appHed  and  accounted  for^by  the  President  of  the  United 
Btates,  intend^  as  part  of  the  pnce,  was  considered  as 
liMweying  the  sanction  of  Congress  to  the  acquisition  pro- 
posed.   The  enlightened  gov^rtiment  of  IVance  saw. 


nn 


m 


548, 


THB   PRISIDENT^S  MESBAQE  IN    IbOl 


i^ 


with  just  disoerament)  the  importance  taboth  nationB  of  ^ 
such  liberal  arrangemeiitB«Bmight  best  and  peraianently 
promote  the  peaqe,  interests,  p.  »d  friendship  of  both;  and 
the  pi'operty  lind  sovereignty  of  i^  Lenisiana,  which  had 
])een  restored  to  them^  has,  on  certain  conditions^  been 
transferred  to  the  United  States^  by  instmnients  bearing 
date  the  SOth  of  April  last  When  these,  shall  have 
received  the  constatati(mal  sanction  of  the  Sei|at%they 
will,  without  delay,  be  communicated  to  the  Bepresen- 
tatives  for  the  exercise  of  their  functions,  as  to  those 
conditions  which  are  within  the  powers  vested  by  the 
Constitution  in  Congress*  Whilst  the  property  and 
sovereignty  of  the  Mississippi  and  its  waters  secure  an 
independent  outlet  for  the  produce  of  the  Western  Statesy 
and  an  uncontrolled  navigation  through  their  whole 
course,  free  from  collision  with  other  powers  and  the 
dangers  to  our  peace  from  that  source,  the  fertility  of  the 
countiy,  its  climate  and  extent  promise,  in  due  season, 
important  aids  to  our  treasury,  an  ample  provision  for  our 
posterity^  and  a  wide  spread  for  the  blessings  of  freedom 
and  equal  laws. 

"With  the  wisdom  of  Congress  it  will  rest  to  take 
those  ulterior  measures  which  may  be  necessary  for  the 
immediate  occupation  and  temporary  go^^emment  of  the 
country;  for  its.  incorporation  into  our  Union ;  for  ren- 
dering the  change  of  government  a  blessing  to  our  newly 
adopted  brethren;  for  securing  to  them  the  rights  of 
conscience  and  of  property ;  for  confimung  to  the  Indian 
inhabitants  their  occupancy  and ,  self-govemmentf  esta- 
blishing friendly  and  commercial  relations  with  th^m;  and 
for  ascertfdning  the  geography  of  the  country  acquirefi'^ 

.Onthe.26th  of  October.ra  bill  to  enable  the  Bresidient 
to  tiike  possession  of  the  territories  ceded  by  EVance  to 
the  United  States,  by  the  treaty  concluded  at  Bans  on 
the  SOth  of  April,  was  adopted  in  the  Senate  by  a  vote 


■Mf 


'■I 
|>E]UTES  nC  0Ol7OBI»8. 


549 


in  the  affirmirtive  of  26  to  6  in  the  negative.  Tho§e  who 
voted  against  the  bill  were  John  ($mey  Adams  and 
Timothy  Hokeiriag  from  Massachnsetts,  James  Hillhouse 
and  Uriah  Tracy  from  Oonueoticat,  Simeon  Oloott  and 
Williani  Plnmor  frttm  New  Hanipshire.  < 

On  the  2d  ^  Novemljer,  the  Senate  resumed  the 
second  reading  of  a  bill  €lntitled :  "  An  aet  anthorisriT:  -? 
the  erection  of  p  '■'  ck  to  the  amount  of  eleven  milKord 
two  hundred  \-  thousand  dollars,  for  the  |>t|r'    \i 

of  carrying  ii.  the  convention  of  the  80tL  of 

Apra,  1803,  b(  le  United  States  and  the  French 

Republic^ri  Tliu  bill  nad  come  up  from  the  House  of 
Bepresen^ves,  wher^  it  had  passed  on  the  2&th  of  Oc^ 
tober*  Oii'ihe  question :  Shall  the  bill  pass  ?— Mr.  James 
White,  from  Delaware,  moved  that  the  fbrther  considera- 
tion of  the  bill  be  postponed  until  the  second  Monday  in 
December  next,  stating  as  the  gi-ound  of  l^e  motion  he 
had  the  honor  to  make,  that  the  question  was  then  in»> 
volved  in  much  difficulty  and  doubt.  He  couM  not  ac- 
cede to  the  immediate  passage  of  the  bilj,  "because," 
said  he,  "by  the  day  I  have  named,  the  Senate  would  bo 
able  to  aet  mom  understandingly  on  the  subject,  as  it 
woi:dd  then  probably  be  ascertained  whether  we  fure  likely 
to  obtain  the  quiet  possession  of  Kovv  Orleans  and  Loui- 
siana under  the  treaty  or; not/and  th^e  would  stall  re* 
inain  a  groat'  sufficiency  of  tkue  to  make  the  necessaty 
provisions  caa  our  part  for  carrying  the  treaty  into i^e^ 
ou1aon,if^it  should  be  deemed  necessto^  i  v  ;  ;  (  ? 
>* Admitting  then,**  continued  he,  "that  his  Oathoiiis 
Majesty  is  bostije  to  the  ces8it>n  of  this  tenitoryto  the 
United  l^tet^  and  no  honcn^ble  g^ailemiiin  .will^en^  it, 
what  reasoiiiB  h^ve  we  to  suppose  that  the  B^nch  JBrefe^ 
provide  the  %fataiirds  should  in1»!r£rare^ea&rgive  to  fi» 
^  f^mmmm^  tie  coUBtifi|^^H<»  m  aisknow- 
tb^e  in  BO  pal]^|^|i^;^«^^  itfelbdieA  wkb  no 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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1 

1.25  II  1.4 

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Hiotographic 

Sdenoes 

Corparalion 


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23  WBT  MAM  STRHT 

WnSTII,N.Y.  MStO 
(71*)  •72-4503 


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-it; 


n 


550'  MB.  1!J[9ITB  TO  THB,  $K1|AT^ 

authority,  nor )mh»& single 9oJdier to  entree  Wft ordera. 
I epeaknow ftom mei^  prolmbiiitieB.    I  wkh npt  to  be 
undfi?«tood  99  pro^inlf  thi^Jife©  lV«n<^ 
to  xm  ^0  actual  and  qwet  pqsselsion  of  the  ^^t<^. 
I  hope  to  God  they  Inay^  for  poasesskth  of  4t  we  n^ 
ha^e^^I  mean  of  New:>(Me«a0,  an^W  iuich  other  pi^- 
tion*  on  the  3MSasi88ipin  fts  may  l)e  necesawy  to  ae<^ 
us  for  ever,  the  complete  and  nninterfupted  nayigplaq^ 
of  th4  river.   T^Js  I  have  ever  Imn  in  favoi*  of ;,  I  timik 
it  essential  to  thfe  peace  t^theUnit^  States  and^  % 
prosperity  ©four  Weftem^conntry.   Bnt  a«|  to  LouisUiois 
this  neir,  immense,  nnhoundcd  ^w^orld,  if  it  j^|i4  eve^^ 
be  incoipOTafed  into  this  Unions  whkh  IJ^pna  idea 
can  be  done  bnt  by  altering  the  Constitntioi^^^Kcve  |i 
will  be  the  greatest  feurse  that  conld  at  presieat  i^fajj  i; 
it  naay  be  prodnclave  of  jannmerablc  e\i|p,  and  eipciii& 
(rfone  that  I  fear  even  to  look  npon.    Gentlemenjon  ff 
sides,  with  very  few  exceptions,  agr^e  that  the  se'ttlei^eiiA 
of  the  country  will  be  highly^njuriouB  and  dang^r^us  to 
the  -United  ^tates ;  but,  as  to  what  has-been  suggested 
of  removing  the  Creeks  and  other  nations  of  j^l^ 
from  the  EastOTn  to  th«  WestMBbanks  of  the  Missi^^ 
and  anaking  the  fertile  regions  of  Lomsi^a  a  howfetf 
ii^erness,  never  to  be  trodden  1^  the  foot  of  civiji^ 
man,  it  k  imiH'aoticable.  j  Thagentleman  §^m  Tennei^ 
(]5*r.  O)^)  has  shown  h»u8iil,oandiw,onthip<)Cfi«pi^ 
and  I  believe  with  hma^  to  use  his  strong  lai^n^iger  thii 
you  had  as  well  ^etend  to  proWbit  ihe  fish^om  iwiB^ 
mingin  the  se%  as  to  pi^^t  the  ftp^ilf#^  0^  tlm 
oounti^  after  its  8ov«pe%»ty  shiiflb^^  |b 

every  njan^i^fpaaited  wi^th^^^^ 
enterprsniig4iemp^  oi^p^  p^0^  ilittl.  #i^  th^  fMpn^ 
in.  Tdileh  ow^-^^^esteitnioini^t^ 
idea  mnst  be  chmiemai    iie  I.^,^^^^^,  ^ 
strong^"thit^#m  be  wipoiiMlio  to  re^^ 


* 


'% 


6wi^' 


tsowtjiiMl&xii^Mm^^^  will  becpffii9. 

se^j^  if  w»  &i^  %^^^^^  wil^  ik^metf  |H^[NiUticHi  tBAt 
\#ti^  «!»^klaiiifto  part  of  ottT  i^reMOt  ^rritor^, 

Wnce  <^  t«^  ior  ihriie  tliOnsiviid  ii^6»  ^m  ihe  oiq[>ital 
of  tlwtMon/ where  they  will  scarcetyjever  W  t^«  y*y8 
of  thc^  Qtis&^nSL  ^Temment ;  their  affecticois^iiHIl  become 
alieiutted  V they  wBl  gradually  begin  to  view tnadj^^w* 
I'  gers ;  they  will  fbrm  other  commercial  ooimeetiioiSiind 
our  iijteresis  will 'become  distinct*  ^ 

"l^ede,  with  other  causes  that  huipn  wisdW  m^ 
n6t  now  foresee,  will  in  time  eflfect  a  sepa^tlon^  aii4,l 
feiir  on^  botfndswill  be  fixed  nearer  to  our  hojoses  th^ii 
the  W«ter  of  the  Missisw^i.  We  have  already  territory 
^wa/^s^  and'  when  I  contemplate  the  evSs  that  ma^. 

a  to  ihescStal^  frofiftthis  intended  incorporation  o^. 
lana  into  the  Union,  I  would  rather  see  it  given  to 
|I^M^  to  Spain,  op  to  any  other  nation  of  the  earth, 
ntK>n  the  mere  condition  ihat  no  citizen  of  the  United 
Stflftes  shoold  ever  settle  within  its  linuts,  than  to  see 
the  territory  i^old  for  a  hundred  millions  of  dollars,  and 
w«  fetaia^e  sovereagnty.  *  *  *'  *  r  * 
Md  I  do  say  that,  und^  existing  circunstao«e8,  ev€^ 
s^)|k)»ing  that  this  ext^it  of  territory  wa9  a  deipirable^ 
ac^liasition,  fifteen  milHons  of  doUars  ^?9#a,  ^opt  eno^ 
mon^  sutt  to  give."  Mr.  Wells^  of  the  si»ne  ^it^,  Ispok 
Ih^'  game  view  of  the  quesidon  with  has  cc^eague^l^. 

"W^lte.' 

MrirBdEerisg,  ftom  Massachuse^  spoiNe  also  ag^infi^ 
the  \M^  is  he^»^ughi  ihi^  Congress  was  not  hcnHssA  to 
eai^4h«tt«%1ii^ execution:  ^"Bise  Ooagk^siiei^v^ 
ib^  ktvi  <^  the  Ualiied  States,"  said  he,  **made.in  purstii- 
a^  thetec^lttdr  iii  tirealaes  mad%  orwhkih  sh^  be 
S^'ij^t  thtfi^wtty  4^^aie  li?»i!tod  ^tti^  fbaT^luB 
M  istfpjed^  law  <«  tlie  la|id    But  a  ti^t^  to  belto 


.fe 


mm 


4, 


*? 


.1,^^ 


?^>' 


552 


MB.  VS!0KSSa3!t&  QT  tmi^SSJiltE, 


obligatory^  maiBk  not  <}0]i<«rftve&e  tlie  Cbiiftiita^iatiit^.  i^^ 
cbntais  any  stipidalaoiiiB  irlMi  'traoseeii^  ilte^  ^poWe» 
tfa^^hi  given  to  the  I^reeideat  aiidiSenote;  ^^016  j^ 
betweeu  the  United  Stattes  afi^  i^e^  iPi^^Mh'tE^pi^tkkk}^ 
profes^hig  to  cede  I^nisiiisia  tt^  the  triiite4>'S^^ 
pears  to  me  to  contam  snch  an  '^ixfieptiion^ 
I^QBr^a  stipi^tion  irhieh'  eannot  be  «^eeti<iSBi^;hjr 4my 
^fttttliieity  noir  existing.    Itis  decteedin  the-Miar^te, 

ratemia  the  Union  of  the  ITniiisSStma,  B^^^^^^^ 
the  Prewdent  and  Senate,  nor  the  I^resident  fflid§6on- 
gres%  are  c(»npetent  to  snch  an  act  of  ioc^yrporaticm.  I 
beK^ve  l^iast  oar  adminis^tion  admitted  tiiat  thii  incor^ 
poration  ootild  not  be  effected  wtthoat  ati  amflikdm^t 
of  the  Constitution ;  and  I  ebnceive  l^at  this  neceWiiiry 
amendment  cannot  be  made  ian  the  oidlnarfmodejby 
the  coricnrrence  of  twotMrdsof  both  honseff  of  ^rngtess^ 
and  the  raiificati<Hi  of  the  legifihiltia^  ol  three  lom^ 
of  the  several  States.  I  believe  t^e  assent  ^  eaeh  indi- 
vidual State  to  be  necessary  :f«!»"  the  admis^n'  of  a 
%eign  country  as  an  assoioBtei  in  thelMon:  in  like 
manner  as  in  a  commercial  house,  the  consent  of  each 
member  wouM  be  neceiaary  to  admit  a  lien?!  parser  |kito 
%Q  company;  imd  i<rhetiier  ^^J^ssent^of  «ei^^ 
such  an  inctisfeiisable  amec  tnt  would-be  afe^M^ 
Is  tmcertf^.  But  the  a»^Ht^  oL' #  ti:ea^iar6r^3eoe«9«rily 
related  to  each  oth«r^th(»:«tipniiitioD; intone  artiele  being 
frequently  the  considerrition  for  another.  If,  thef^^ge, 
m  respect  to  the  L(viii.a«»ii  treaty,  thd  UakediStates^ail 
to  execute,  and  withiik  a  reasiMialdetiimey  ^he  engage- 
menl^  in  the  dd  at^le,  io  «m]0)njx>f^ci^M^ 
^€  Ufidonyi^e  Frendi  govmimieiii.iv^  l»vetlm  ngl^ 
to  deckre  ^he  whole^.  treaty  T(»d.  iTe  must  then  abaiir 
don  the  eoimtry,  or  gd  to  .war  to  nHiltain-opr  jgoBB^asiott. 


"^1 


".#• 


r 


,«p>^. 


m 


^'Bvt^^iiMi$AMm  IlcfenagR^IJmve  never  donibted 
.^  ligH  of  tlie  United  Stat^  to  JKi^|«ii«  aew  teiritoiyy 
eJPcff  l»y  ^ixsli^  or  ijyconijoest^aiwl*^  govern  the 
tpRtc^  so  «oqiii!red  ttl  a  depmident^prot^ce ,'  And  in 
tli^  iray  mi|^t'  Lonkiiuia  iiaye  lm6oiBm»^i&jm!bmj^ 
the  XJoMied  Stot«^  a^d  have  t«ceived  » Ibntt  of '  g<>vem- 
men*-  iBlb^tely  fsie^iral;^  to  ^aft  to  w^hK»  ^habit- 
ante:  ane^Q^cnilij^  .:,;-^.  :-,.:,  . 

Mp.  ^racy^  £r^  Connecticiit,  followed  in'  fhe^me 
Kneof  argtunentj  ohjeoting  also  to  what  he  cabled  giving 
a  commereial  preference  to  the  forts^  of  the  ceded  t*pr|. 
tojy  overihe.othei'  porta  o^the  JJm&tt,  m  conlbrh^ty 
with  ilhes^rth  article  of  the  treaty,  whkh  st^ 
the  ^Wps  of  IVance  and  Spwn  shoirfd  be  adnrftted  f<^ 
twelve  yea*Biiito1he  ports  of  Lonisiana,  free  of  foreign 
^irtj.  He  oontWed  with  the  Mlowing  sent^netflit 
^^  We  can  hold  t«pritefy  J  bnt  to  admit  1^  lyiaMtaat* 
into  l^e IMon^  to  make  dozens  of  themand^SlMites,  %' 
treaty,  we  oaimot  ccaistitntionaQy  do;  and  no^sttbaeon^t 
act  c^-legi.^ion, or  even  ordinfoy  i^e^dmetit'  td^dnir 
Cdnstttntkn^can  kgaiwe  sudi^ mea«ure&  If  done  at %ffl, 
tibey  miMTt  he  done  by  laavetsalfciMiseiit  of  afl  to  States 
dr  pi^lciefs.of  iHtr^j^^O^ 

a^p^i'nicions^titeasare' as  ^^wS^^miai^if^>^»vMmiAj^^ 
we^M-^r-^md  sid^  aworldr^to  onr'¥ii«df&<  '•  !^8*W0W 
jpE^^Abscwbbg  the  mf^i^bim'B^^  *^l^' 

ifil^  ii»ignii^canti^in  ihe  Iiyon  aa^th^oagiit  1^^^^ 

^li^  o^  cic^sait^  the  :&ei!#gpei»£n»i^cd^^ii#  M^^i#^< 

^heNMid; 

iiiit^eeito' 


ii. 


m 


'0'     %■ 

m  MB.  BRBQXIBJifBIDGE  IN  TOM  SVlfJiTB.  ^P 

aoliieii^  18  one  o£  the  most  tiplendid  which  tlie  imiials  of 
any  nttkioii  onii  produce.  To  acquire  an  emipire  of  ^e^ 
haps  half  the  extent  o£.the  one  now  posaeflsed',  firom  thct 
most  poweiM  and  warlil^  nation  6n  eaith,  without 
bloodshed,  without  thd  oj^iession  of  aj^gld  indiiridnal, 
wi^|K)int  in  the  least  embamssing  the  ordin^o^ations 
of  your  fiances,  and  ali  this  thTongh  l^epead^l^  forms 
of  negotiation,  and  in  despite  too  of  the  opposition  of  a 
odnsi^ei^hld  po^on  of  the  commnnity,  is  an  achieve- 
ment of  which  the  archives  of  1he>  pi^eeessorsy-at  least, 
of  those  now  in  oflplce,  cannot  fbmish  a  parallel.     • 

'^  The  gentleman  from  Massachusetts  has  told  ns,  that 
this  aoqiHBition  wiP,  from  its  extent,  soon  pmve  destrnc-' 
tivetp  the, Confederacy.  ^^,>,<?^:*.--^^4*;:.\^'i^'^v<<':''.^-;;:: >^  :.■:••''•■ 

*^.Thi8  is  an  old,  hackneyed  dootiine— 4hat  a  republb 
ought  aot  to  be  too  extensive.  But  vhe  gentleman  has 
assumed  two  facts,  and  then  reasoned  from  them:  ^t, 
that  the  eaitent  is  too  great;  and  seccnidly,  that  the 
coraitry  wiE  soon  be  populated.  I  Would  ask,  Sir,  what 
is  his  standard  extent  for  a  republic  ?  How  does  he 
come  $.t  that  standard  ?  Our  boundary  is -ali-eady  ext^^ 
siye.  Would  his  standard  extent  be  violated  by  indiud- 
ing  the  island  of  Orleans  an<i the  Floridasi  I  presume 
not)  as  aQ  parties  seem  to  think  their  acquii^on,  in  part 
otva.  whole,  essential.  Why  not  then  ac^iuire  territory 
on  the^west,  as  well  as  on  the  east  side  i^^^Wa^aistp^i 
la  the  ^gpddteft  of  Hberty  restrained  by  water  ooui'ses  ? 
Is  she  governed  by  geographical  Hmits  I  Is  her  domi- 
nion on  this  Qo^Ktinent  confined  to  the  east  side  of  the 
]Mia«pftppi9  So  far  firom>  believing  in  the  doctrine  that 
aj^ublic  ought  to  be  conned  iviihin  narrow  limits,  I 
b^e^fS  on  tibe  contrary,  that  the  morQ\  extensive  iti 
domlnioi^  ^e,  more  safe  and  mote  ^^urable  it  will  htn, 
Jif.  pii^3if^0ttam  to  the  number  of  hands  you  intniist  the 
pr6<noisui  blesnngs  of  a  free  government  to,  in  thie  sftme 


* 


■  m 


J^      ha. 


t 


MB.  BBBOl^SVBIDaS  or  THS  SENATE. 


5M 


liropoa^il  do  you  multiply  the  chances  for  their  preser- 
vftti^n^,  I  «nt€nrtaui,  tiiereforej  no  J^ats  for  the  Ooafede- 
ra^^oni^lBitol^lt  of  its  extent.  •    .     #  * 

■■■'♦;>  •..'■*      , .  ♦  .   .    *  ,.  .  #  ^ ,  V  *  ■■'."■'    « '■ ' 

1*Pat  i|o]fliing,so  yemote  is  more  clear  to  me^Jiitti  that 
t|^  ac^^tion  iwU  tend  to  ^^^ 
lii^evi^ty  as  this  country  has  passed  out  of  i^  hands 
of  Spain,  thai  whether  it  remained  with  Spain,  or  shoidd 
be  acquired  by  Englwtd,  its  population'wonld  ha^e  >een 
attempted.  Such  is  the  policy  of  all  nations,  bttt  Spain. 
Whence  would  that  population  conje  ?  COTtainiy  not 
fbpi  Europe^  It  would  come  almost  exclusively  fironi 
the  Unked  States.  The  question,  then,  would  simply  be  r 
le  the  (mfederdo^  more  in  dcmgerfrom  L&tmimm,  when 
cf^cfrmedhy  Am^Hma  people  wider  Ain&riam  jvai^^ 
tum^  th^mwTm  populkxted  hf  Americam  imder  iheemtrot 
of  some  famgfn,  pomrfuly  cmd  rived  noHarkf  Or,  in 
other  wprds,  whether  it  would  be  safer  for  the  United 
States  t^  populate  this  country  when  ioid  how  th^ 
pleased^  or  permit  some  foreign  nation  to  do  it  ^t  Aeir 
expense'??'/  .'■*.,    ,:.•,,...  ■  ■.■  ^.- 7'.'.v-., 

ITbe  adoption  of  this  bifl  was  advocated  by  Mr*  Jolin 
QwiM?y  Acbons,  w^o  y^t  Iiad  v^ted,  on  the  26th  <^  Qe%^ 
ber,  ag(|inst  %e  ^mss^  of  the  bill  to  eniibk  |he  Bresi- 
dent  to  take  possessioaof  the  teipitori^  ceded  %  france^ 
tO;;the '"Pnited' States.. ■. .    .     .,    ^^■;'.;    ,;yv..  >V/:  .--rc''--,r!'rn  - 

^^'l!;  has  baenargaed,''  said  Jfe  44awK^  " th»fe  the^^^^ 
oipfhi  not  to  passj  because  the  tceaty  its^  is, wi  un^- 
stifcu^^on^va^ 

j^i^ €ionn|B^Hiicut, an extra-constitu^onaJlact i  Ibecsw H 
cfi^^iwaftt^lgp^^       whidt  tljfi  pqwerai  1^,  J^ 

ns^'fMcaia^^  ' 

h^  ^jQintiiid^^L^ 


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jomr  (^mrcn:  ipAHS  m  tbs  s&state. 

^tiitipiiit  a^  Ii4efiiate  to  tanotioiiu  3^  is  Uierd^Qre,  say^ 
Uiey,  A  nii]^^ ;  j#e  cannot  lUifil  our  part  o£  its  oondi-* 
tions,  and  oj^m^  failare  in  th^per^mance  of  any  one 
slipoWon,  Iwoe  mfty  consider  her^lf  ab9<^lred  from 
tbe  i3!l»UgatiDna  of  the  wjiole  tre»ty  o|i  h^.  I  do  liot 
GOiMoive  it  necessary  tQ  eQi^x*  uito  the  mefits  of  t^ 
tielity  at  this  time.  The  praper  oeoasion  &>r  |h«t  di^ 
cnssion  is.  past  Bnt,  allo^fing  even  jthat  this  is  a  case 
for  which  the  CMstitntion  has  not  preyed,  it  does  not 
in  my  mind  foQov,  that  the  treaty  is  a  nnllity,  or  that 
its.  obligations^  either  on  ns  or  on  France,  most  neceasar 
rily  be  caOceEed.  For  my  own  part,  I  %m  free  to  cow 
fysB^  that  the  dd  article  and  mcnre  e^)ectflHy  Uie  7th, 
eontedn  ei^fagentonts  placing  xm  in  a  dilemma,  from  wh^ch 
I  see  no  possible  mode  of  eztricating^  .ourselves  bat  by 
an  amendment,  or  rather  an  addition  to,  the  Con8rt;itQ;jbi<QiQ^; 
I^e  gentleman  from  Connectic#.  (|£r.  Tracy),  bo^^oa 
a  &>rmer  oeeasiont  ipd  in<^this  day^s  debate^  appears- to 
hf^e  shown  1^  to  demoivtratii^n.  But  whftt  is  this, 
mor^  than  sftying^  that  the  Bresident  and  Senate  have 
bound  the  nation  to  engagements  whieh  reqiiire  i  the 
Qpopera^n  of  more  extensive  powers  than  li)fiir%  to 
carry^  them  ^  into  exectttion  ?  Nothing  is  moi^^conpiiosn 
i|  the  jiegotiations  b^ween  naticm  a&(d  mitioQ,tthan  for^ 
a  mimsteT  to  agree  to  imd  sign  artMes  beyond/ the -^^ 
tent  of  his  powers.  This  is  what  yonr  niinistem,  inJ^ 
vw^  case  (^befom^  BE^  ^ve  cos^ss^ed^  dopci;^  |t  is,  weU 
kao^  that  theiT'  pow^ia  did  not  pnthoaflw  themito^43i||ii^ 
iS«de^&i»Atreii^l^^^^  ^t^^aot^  j^ihi^l^^ 
coifti^  aM«  to^^KW^ 
to^^wft^iflltion^^^^^  poeee^i^^ 

ed^ Mr  wrerK h^k(y^mgpm0m^ 
of 


m 


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Hi' 


joHir 


adhma  nf  ifiH  Bitf  ATE. 


1 , ,    ... 
cfliW9,  obnld  kot  ftmend  it  iii  ibii^  witbcyntexoeedrng  ib«q9| 

j)Owera^ftnd  this  k  the  extremeit  poilKt  ta  whicb  aii|^ 
gim^kman  on  this  fioor  has  e:tteiiddd  hii  acFn]defH-fiiip- 
pose  all  this,  and  there  still  remains  In  t|ie^  country  a 
Ifower  oontp^t^t  to  adopt  and  sanctioir  «i^ei^  |Mfft  of 
d^enga^iements,  and  toeadi*^  them^cntirely  into  execn- 
iion.  ¥&t,  notwithstanding  ihe  objections  'imd  i^^e* 
hensionii  of  many  indxvidiials^  oi  rwfioj  ^r^^  #bi)«  and 
excellent  men  in  various  parts  of  the  Union,  y«t«|«h,l8 
the  pnl^  fikvor  attending  the  trmsaetson  which^e^'> 
menced  by  the  negotialion  of  this  treaty,  and  which,  I 
ho|^,  will  tenmnate  in  onr  fidl^  undisturbed  and  mi^ 
puted  possession  of  the  ceded  territory,  that  L  firmly 
bcUe^elf  an  amendment  to  the  Constitution,  amply  suffix 
ci^nt  for  the  accomplii^mcnt  of  everything  for  ^ich 
we  have  contracted^  shall  be  prc^posed,  as  I  think  it 
ought,  it  will  be  adopted  by  the  legislature  of  evtty 
Staite  in  the  Union.  We  can  therefore  fuMiour  part  of 
the  convention,  and  this  is  all  that  France  has  a  right 
to  require  of  ua  France  never  can  have  the  tight  to 
come  and  say :  Jam  diaehar^^  from  the  o&H^Uiom  of 
^i^  treaty^  hbcmee  yom*  Breaideni  cmd  Smctteym  rai^- 
in^UyesiBciaeded^^t^^  lor  this  wd^ldbdint^je^njg 

i4  ihe'  internal  airiangemeni  of  Oujp  gc'/emmeut;.:  It 
would  be  intermeddling  m  questions  with  which  she  has 
no  concern,  and  whieh  must  be  settled  altogether  by 
ourselves.  The  only  questioner  France  is,  wh^«r 
she  has  <$ontracted  with  the  department  :of  oar  govern- 
ment autlidfized  to  make  treatiee^  and il^  bemg'diear, 
her  only  iSgH  is  to  require  that  the  e(mditij»ii^j#t^pii^«ted 
in  our  name  be  ppn6tua}3(f  and  i^i^Mji^  pxhem^*^  ^  I 
trust  they  wllii»e  so  per^Mimed,  and  will  (i^^prwy  I^end 
my  haiid  to  ev«ry  act  aiecessary  ft»  the  |nn;poae^  is  .For  J 
consider  ihe  b^eci  as  of-  the  lu^jhest  adVwita^  to  us; 
and  the  gentlen:^ ftoni  Kentuck^r ,^9i^i^PrtBi 


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ridge)^  who  lias  dlsplf^yedwiih  do  nmoK  elo^^neiu^  the 
immeM  iinporfance  to  the  Union  df  iht  pmMcmhf 
the  ceded  territory,  cannot  cany  hii  idoat  ftirtber' dn 
tlifttimbjeot  than  I  do.^' 

MMj^  the  bill  pcased  on  the  dd  of  l^oyeiaoiber,  by  a 
votie  of  26  to  5.  Those  voting  in  the  negatiire  #ere: 
HmeB  EQllhoQse  and  tJriah  Tn/cy  ftom  Oonnec^nt, 
Pickering  from  Massaohnsetts,  Wells  and  I'Thite  from 
Delaware.'        '  '  Y' w-' \';- ''•'••■  v 

Descending  from  the  Senate  into  the  LOWer  H^^nse  let 
ns  now  see  what  had  been  done  there.  i^ 

Oii  the  24th  of  Ocftober,  Mr.  Oriswoid,  front  Oonnec- 
Hcnt,  iQoved  the  following  resolnMon : 

Resdked,— ^''to  the  PredderU  (f^VnMi  &tateS  he 
requeet^tocame  id  be  laid  before  M  home  a  cop^ofthe 
treattf  hhteen  the  Frerieh  HeptMic  cmd  8pamyofih»  let 
of  0(M>er^  1800^  together  w^  a  oop^  of  the  ^ed  of  ces- 
eumfronv  /Sjpamj  esoeeutedm'pm'sxmioe  of  ike  etimeired^j^ 
e&mefyim^lAmeiamt  to  Frande  {if  awy  eiMh  deed  eotsiiste) ; 
oho  cojpiee  of  9w>h  corresp&ndei/ice'hetween,  the  g^overimi^it 
^the  Wniied  Statee  ckd  ihe  ^eminent  ohminiister  of 
a^in  (4f  mi/y  mush  cOrreapondeme  hm  t^ikm^^l^mie)^  ae 
^M^ehaw  the  decent  or  disa&nt  df  Spam  td  M  purchase 
if  Ii&itiieiana  b^  the  United  8tke^ ;  tog^r  with '(^^^ 
ifmidh  oiker  doGvime/nta  aif  imy  h  in  th^  di^fkjirtmaktr^^ 
WkUeyVr  afiA^  other  d^ixtrtment  of  Ms  g&verrimmytmii^ 
to  oedmidfi,  iffhdher  ^  Uviked  Skmtee  hciveim^^^ 
^xcqvm^  mv^  tkl^  cf  IMdma  %  #« 

"!Ht#  bellei^  it  #(^  be  adiid^  tiSlSf  %  the  e^^ 
J^iiws  of  the  1^^ 

'ac^jijM^niew'tei?^^  *^^i^^^i^ 

sMIij^  "  by  ^fetat  tre^  thj^  Bpaji  s%tih^  e^ 
tO-Ma^  litK>n  certaiiBL^  ctm^tabns^  t3ie  pto^nfe^      1^ 

*  Annals  of  Congress,  by  Gales  and  Seaton. 


'^'■ 


1# 


■#- 


Mb' 


X* 


iOk  OBBWOLD'  nr  tav.  noms. 


|iM^  Jlke^l^^  and  the 

IfieiMsh  foveninieiit  doM  ncHi  iiisiirtlilii  ipikM 
iaha»  lut^ev  bm  ^s^yinified  witk*^  l^oe,  br  whether 
the  cdM|io]i  Itas  beon  adtttttlly  mii^  ^^  Bpia  to^  Frtmce. 

pH^rlii^  and  Bpaiii  fias  iMft  di^v«if»d  tii«  frotiwse  to 
^Vaiio9)  then  U  reiHiIlB  1^  Fraaee  hitd  no  t^,  lu|d  of 
(sonseqnenoe  tliat  t)ie  United*  fitates  leave  ao^ittf«0d  no 
ti^e  f^  France;    If  t\m  lie  eotfeot,  the  edaiitt|iiisiiice 
will  be  that  we  have  a(M|iiii«d  noitew  teMtbt^oi^  iieV 
iiibi«^  and  tiiat  it  %  pei*feotfl}r  idle  to  jsp%tA  tfane  in 
pabsinl^  laws  for  possessing  the  teriitoty^  ind  ft^re^ 
the  {ie<^    IMi  l^«a^  not  b^  atieeHakSit^^e 
latigiii^  of  the  traaty;  itv}nay*b»  Itt^^i^i^ 
doouiibBii'iiv^at  may  sal&fy  thu  H«^  wheiiier  the 
][J|iited  St0^  have  aeqnhred  n^#  t^ttltol|jr  c^  new  lab- 
jeetK    In  the  treaty  late^  oon^liided  ^riili  i^ra^^ 
treaty  between  Jlranoci  atid  Spimi  la  refbred  tof  Mj^  a 
part  ef  it  is  copied.    The  treaty  *eftfpred  to  mnst  1^  a 
pttbiic  treairp'.    In  the  nature  of  l^ungft  it  ^mt  bjD  |be 
tit)e4eed  fSe  the  province  of  LtMoisiana.^  The  €k>vem- 
ment  nink  have  a  c^ipy  of  it.    Aa  tiiereria  but  a. part 
recited;  it  in  evideh%'bi^(ttfe^.    It  beeomei  tibeMfbre 
necessary  to  be  IM$h«d  iriih  the  whole,  in  order  ;to 
asoeitain  the  conditbn»^rd|tUve  to  the  Dt^0  «f  Pan^; 
H  also' become  neeessa^y  tdr  get  the'deed  ofeesi&qer^,  'lor 
iSte  prosine  to  cede  Is  n^  «e«^i<mi  *  TM»  deisd  b£  cesn,^, 
I  ak>  pre8ii]]|i«v  is  in  the  fmmiAoWistpomftmx^^  It 
is  alito  kf^MHant  to  Im<^^i|dei*''wM^4[ii;cta^^ 
.  Loinsiaiia  jpi  to  Wti^en  pbj»esli^o&  of,  aiid%li0(ihpr'w:ith 
the  (xxQSQiit  oiBpi^  as  she  is  «tUl  poiamM^^''  ^|t 
is  to  ^  tal$i|t)^feie^^ 
dltm^wiU  be  ffliMeilhley  1^^^ 
necessary;  bn^lf  it  is  to  b«f  iKti^  jp<i^     of  vi  oppo- 


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sition  to  Sptiiif  a  differaiit  pfovkricm  xmiy  be  neo^iMrf . 
From  theM^on^eratioiu  I  tidnk  it  proper  in  the  Hoiiee 
to  call  npou  the  Ezeontive  for  kfonaation  ba  this 
pomt.**    '  .  ^,"}'< 

This  Beeolntioii  wae  Tiokntly  oppeeed'  by  th^  ftietidil 
of  the  admii^tratioii  om  thegromid that,  in  l^e pfesent 
stage  of  tho  proceedings  reiqpeoting  the  treaty  and  eon- 
mention  with  Fraiiee  eoneeming  Lonisiana,  it  was  im- 
}m>per  to  embariuss  l^e  bnsinees  by  an  nnseasonable*  eaU 
upon  the  Ji^eei^ye  for  papen ;  <tiiat  the  !Presid«int' had 
already  oomibnnioated  vatioos  information  on  this  snb- 
jeot,  in  his  message  on  the  irst  day  of  the  session^  tiiat 
additional  ii^ormation  was  giyen  in  Ua  message  of  the 
2Ut^  whftr^  he  told  the  House  that  the  ratification  end 
exohangf)s  had  been  made ;  that  this  message  was  acootilT 
panted  with  the  instrument  of  cession  and  covenant  con- 
cluded M  Paris  betwesa  the  American  ministers  and  the 
agents  of  the  French  Republic^  that  1^  iB&>rmat^on 
was  akoady  on  the  tables  of  1^  House ;  that  tiie  Presi- 
dent hfid  put  the  House  m  possession  of  it  fh>m  his  otm 
sei3se  of  dutyi  tha*  he  hadv  communicated  such  int^Ui- 
gidiee  >is  he  had  reeeijved;  and  that  if  he  T^as  possessed 
^^anything  else  oeedM  for  the  examinatbn  of  theHotisej 
it  was  to  be  presumed  tdiat  the  chief  magistrate  of  the 
Union  would  have  apontaneo^y  imparted  it  j  that  al- 
though the  r%ht  of  the  Hotve  to  reaiitest  ihe  B^esid^ent 
to  gi^^  ec^ttesvof  the  papers  mentioned;  hi  the  Be^Itetdbn 
xuuM?  debate  was  a<^owledged,  yet  i^  this  <o||iositiO& 
to  it  arose  mmlj  iko^  thsb  periiasion  ter  ^diOsel^pets 
w^»  i^ecipe$iry,^«ndfti^iit  iso^  ol  thdih  irtee  im^ 
^^  tor^  had^  that,  «atho«ghril[^)ii|^  be^  agreeap^ 
eniniijtfi  1||^|i!|pei^  i^  jwioiiid  curidsi^  <»^ 

asbdo^^aente  <Ki^^a«t^^  j^ 


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•X. 


4ipK|||p»  OV  B»  4»IM|dam 


«61 


tibf  4imt  lor  thaie  (MKxmd»y,wiearohei»  however  amnt- 
ing  ikey  might  be;  thai.gra^er  o|di0o(i  deputndedthe 
iibnedifttt  JiMeiitkA  of  the  ^cionae^  ind  that  there  might 
be  danger  in  delay.;  that  the  operation^  the  Beaoliition, 
if.  adopted,  woeld  oertaialy  be  to  proeraathuile  and  em- 
banaMIMd  tM*ifc  waawpoMtble  to  disown;  irhat  good 
vonld  b^  iPfooght  At  the  preaeni  time  by  i^preeing,  to 
it  $v  tlMt  there  waa  an  addi^o&al  reason,  and  that  a  very 
ifdghty  one,  ibr  leftiaing  tiie  motion  at  thia  itage  of'^e 
froeeedingif  that  ^  treaifey,  by  its  express  terms,  ^  most 
be  vktiied  in  good  and  dne  form,  and  the  ratiilcetioDs 
vi^fSta^^  wkhin  puc  monthi  after  eieention  f  th^t  the 
dute of. ^  deedof  jseiaion  was  tHSQth of  April Uvt; 
oonseqnetttily,  thet  the  limited  time  would  expire  on  tiie 
SOjbbof  theirariwnt  mcmth.;  and  that  this  proenistinA^g 
BesoktionJiadbeeneprDng  up  so  late  ae  the  24thr;  that 
the  treaty  of.  eession  hid  been  olleiaUy  made  and  offi- 
<aa%  ratified  l^  the.  oonatitiitional  an^oHlaeB ;  that  it 
f^  now  laid  Woire  the  whole  world ;  and  that  it  would 
l^,vm^|e  homxmble  Ibr  those  i^  did  not  relifth  it  to 
octeiae  Mldl|F  %wen4^i«9d  denyihe  pre]»iety  of  carrying 
|M^|r^i^iiii|9  e#iBti  Ihutto  assail  itineeeret  ^^budies, 
thin^toli^  jt'bsliinA  entrenchments  anjd  mid^r  eoveted 
wa^ln  j^r  hIo  e^ljiM^  to  that  ^^reat 

natioiMl'  meismi«;^?Qm  IhOs  pnblio  view. 

JM^  Thomas  Bindolpb,  from  YargiBiiH  opposed  the 
I&gjittjaOiu^jbeca^  sidd^he^v^J  donot  eoBo^^  that 
thilkimtieal  or  tfie^onse  ei^tertam  «>  fjonbt  of  oar  having 
aoq^^red  niMNP.te0Eiiun7.4zKl  pe*^  to  govetn^  Coidd  I 
£f»r  a  <im^aeiit4is%ve  ithat  evenina  minoiity,  lei^^eeteble 
itt^to  «^bcffis^ir«^^  othel^e^ei^  tf  llua  ^t 

%aiis^^^^m^  has  jiist  been 

xMr  I  we<didr  rjgM^^  |genUeman^&om 

w^ui^^  indeed  "^vlMd  anew  at^eession  of  territory  and 

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t  *♦  *«  «  4<i 

^  "^^  treaty  wUek  we  fD^iiow  «iiUed^T»poa  to  s^ctiop^ 
hm  beeii  lifuiled  by  1^  ae^imwatfoiis  o£  tkje  niktioiu  It  b 
not  diflaonlt  to  foi?es^  jarom  ike,  0|BiMf)^f>iJJ«iw%i^ 
every  quarter,  tlurtt  it  will  receive  tbie  .^oardial  ,iipp«^^ 
tion  of  a  tHomphant  tufii^ty  of  thie  Hofuaek  If  wcji  be 
the  geoeraL  opinioa-— if  we  are  i^i  Ibar^y  Mjtisfied  with 
the  tera»  of  thiB  ;1a^eaty,  but  lost  m  m^m»^«0  at  ^e 
aH-impOi'tant  bencits  which  w«  hff!|^  ap  dieaply  acquired, 
to  what  purpeoe  do  we  ask  isig^ii^EQa^oB.  jtrevpectiog  tl^e 
detail  <^  the  negotiatioal  Miufmj  &6  ventided  to  h|nt 
disapprobation  of  the  eondu^  of  the  Utt^steff^trho  have 
^eted  this  negotiAtioa  ?  Bas  any  oiieiiuaiuiated  that 
our  interests  live  been  betipayed?  If,,theny  we  ve 
^tisfied  as  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty,  «tt4'«^*Ji  the  con- 
duet  of  our  BMUsters  abroad^M  ™  pa«»  the  laws  necwh 
sary  for  carrying'  it  i?itQ  e%(^  To  r^&i8e«-to  delay, 
upon  the  T>lea  now  offered,  iai.t&  jeopcr^ze  it^ejiest  in- 
terest of  the  Ifelon.  Shall  we  take  exception  to  aw 
owntitle?  Shall  we  refuse  the  oferedpoBiieasiott?  ^hall 
this  reftwal  proceed  from  those  whp  so  laMy  affirmed,  th^t 
we  ought,  to  piH»ue  this  iferyotjipct  ai  eyery  ni^onal 
hazard?  I  should  rather  suppose  t^eag^l|es«<rf  geaife- 
^mfsfi.  would  be  ready  to  outstrip  th^  foiwui  of  law  in 
makiBg  themselt^s  masters  of  thia  <^oii»try,  ^i«ii4d^ 
ni»w,  ^«n  it  b  oflfered  to  our  graap,  iSl^fiimU  4isp% 
an  ifliwpBDgaesB^  w  at  least  jjp^JiB^Pwwioe,  for  ih^t 
w^iitih  jo^liS^y  w«  aU  imposrti^ti to  tJieub  Alter  l^e 
messi^ which  t)|» ^)peeidei&t^ i^  MUt  us,  tpinqmire of 

Mm  if  indeed  we  few^t  "P^*^  •^y  ^®^  «ftt1i»«ffi  ^#e 
gi^!iilemafiu<^zprep#.lt,  who^  t^^  ^  ^*!^  ^  W 
LegishMahr^  ihM^^B*. J^^        would 7bt»  90^l#^  kss 


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':'''T!^'0Mi(>ti  %a»  ibat-'bf  a  vote  o^  Wffi^  toW 

*  Qn  tli6  26th  (October),  ^  Hcmge  ws^e^ 
&  'tJMniiMe  of  the  WUote  to^*  tdt^  ^ttsS^%»^^ 
i^moite  to  ado^  thei^iiisfefflMTf  Bieas^ 
tty#ifce^cfe'1htd'''*^fe«s6:"-'^^^  -  •'■  •■^"-^•,--  -^:^-;;.: 


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6.1 
1 


^ 


:* 


» 


#d4 

to  both  ooBstnictioiis.  ' 

^  ^  Br^  la  my  ^^ktioi^v^eiffceiy  .possible  £^  »m  g«iKUe- 
mftii  Oik;tliisiioor  to  ftdvaa^oe  ib»  ^sserfibii  thliit  ^ftjitvo^ 
deniond  Senate,  may  add  to  tl^^nmbflrs  of  tlie  llnm^ 
by  a  treaty  whei^^v^er  tbey  plei^oi^m  ih^  ^rd£»  ol  the 

States  a ifofeigst  iifttioa iv^ho^i^m  iiitie^^  or  amS^oD^ 
may  wiah'  to  become  a  m^Biber  of  our ,  gov^fume^^ 
Su<^  a  power  would  be^  dbeoHy  r^pogfiant  to  the  Q^^^ 
nal  compact  b^ween  the  States,  and  Ajiial»tiottx)Ci:Sl«r 
principles  on  which  tiiot  compact  waaibno^d.-  It  has 
been  alreadywell  obserYed  thait^he  U!uonvq|.^e.^tateii 
was  formed  on  the  principle  of  a  .cofNu*tiiQaih^^8ad:  ft 
would  be  abdnrd  to  suppose  that  4ihe  ageu^^  of rf^tha 
parties,  who  have  been  appointed  to  execute  the  buis^ 
ness  of  the  compacty  in.  behalf  of  the  principaks  i^ld 
admit  a  wm  par^erf :  without  l^e^  consent  of  |h6  p^siit^s 
themselves.  fAnd  yet,  if  tip  first  eonstnii^to.  38  «Sr 
suni^d,  such  mtist  be  the  ca«eMtod(Qr  this  Cona^tutioBf 
and  the  President  and  Senate  may  admit  at  will  .any 
foi^ign  nattoA:  into  thi^  c»partnersMp  without  the  cou" 
sent  of  the  States.  /  ' 

^*%e.t;|;oveniinent  of  this -^country,  is  fenBedl  by  a 
UnioiEcif  States^  afid  the  people  have  declared  tlftt  the 
Oonstltntioit.  waai eetabhshed i  to.  fmn/^^a-  mm  ^/«CC 
wmnof^^  VnMl  8mM,  The^  Ufiited^»tei  ]|m»^^ 
jdoentioiuid  eaniiot  be-  miitakeiau  Ihey  were'  ^  i^t& 
'^un  «is^  eastenee^  and  fiu^  io^et%st^^m  should  ^^ 
^Imed  AiUfibift;  the  4he&  Ha^ta  of;  ^>  Un|oii,^^ce# 
£xrmabi3^1;d^?ille^^^re'«iiMe>i^  #f^M^ 

taeasui^^tikM!(ifktt;^wl^h,^^i$i(i»^t6^^M^ 
imaten^  Il»  Ifi^ee  lfef«ltt'.l^^  &  vin^m^ 

tteiliiit^nlteiitt^ieaqpf^^      1^.  Opit&ld^^^ 
ineorporadon  of  a  foreign:  ma^on  kto  the  Umo%  eo  ttk 


* 

iJ^ 


% 


m 


iK§^^MimafWem^'BiM!ie^ 


!m 


^xmndiit^^  with. 


respMivfvMl^^ 


oift^ci'^bjic^llMMir  o^i^  ^gch^e^^ 


#- 


# 


't? 


>.  S2 


fi^*/ 


>¥' 


^Pp 


be^lo^orp^mtted  into  ^  tj])ii<»)^  iup44^  #1^ 

«t|i$prp6ratt  1^  js^pk  0^  the  c^de^  ti6|t4^(^|^ 

^IJi^oi^  bat  B%9l^^a^^M^1^ 
adia(4tte4  Jteoc^ding^^  t^^^ 

ifal^  ^tk  of  tae  xi4^tiQn,that  ^fMS^  aii^# 
i^  j^\»c%^  On  this  p^mt  i  i)riU  9l^»W%^%^ 
no  aiflewHwe  itt  prioeiple  betwrn  a  J»*4  i»M«W*««Sffl 
b|r  the  words  pift  tr^ty,  mi^  fi  stipiiUtloiLthikf^^iuiii^^- 
poratton  shall  take  place ;  because,  if  the  fisiil^  of  ;^« 
m^on  is  pledged  in  the  latter  i^ase,  the  ineorpora^n 
post  t^e  place,  audit  is  of^o  oonaQquence  wiM^herthe 
treaty  gives  the  inco^poratiohf  qr  vprodacesthe  I^w  wbich 
gives  it;. in  both  casesj  llie  trejiM<^ produe^^  tlm,0^; 
and  the  ^i:iestion.  still  returns :  Does  there  e^ds^*  nnd^r 
tJ^e  Oonslitution,  a  power  to  incorporate  Into  ^,  Union 
by  a  treaty  or  by  a  law,  a  foreign  nfttion^i^  people  ?  M 
it  shall  be  admitM  tbat  no  snch^powerjejdsta  without 
an  aniendment  to  the  Oonstitutioii,  and  if  it  shall  be  s^ 
th^t  the  treatyina^ing  power  migr  stipulate  for  SQch.  m 
omendmeoLtf.  it  will  be  a  sii^cisnt  answer  tO'say :  l^fit 
no  pow^r  can  reside j|]L,any.€i|  the naitio^aHlibpiitifi^  to 
atipjolaito^^th  a  for^gn  natios^  for  «ft.4iJaeil3inent.,to  the 
GiK^titutiqm  ,^Sk»  oonpiidtiitodr^hei^st^.  af  0^.;£r#^ 
h«^e  been  eteftted  to  vjmsB$B,  €iu^'%>l!mlM^  to 

climige  or  sttp«ti|e:  iS^  ^(^^t»s^fi$g  i^m^k^^^  ^a$im^ 
eifiB  |fty,^,Bttttei,:^aide^:^i>ro#eMs  i>W^0(Mkio  make 
tl^p^foiXI^  .iS<^alatoMhei^e£^  ^■^hm,.mr 

t^  whici^  flreate>n<^  ob^gfw^^  vf^-yfMut^^.  ^  k-  >'l-^!'. 


.to.. 


■# 


tjl.' 


']il^'iiii'^tf::ii^'«iiB^ 


Ift^  now  fitttnd^l^t^'sM^  of  J^cA  iuid  B^      at^  lijE^He 
t6aa  ei«si»  tbimi^^^i^  to  a  duty 

f6*tei  ^^^ftie  *i«*l^  deelftiPW  'iWv  m  1^  porlp  ^  Hie 
d^e^^^if^ea^^^^^^  iiii|>of%^d  tcauiage 

^^^^c»^^i9«ei!|  ^de<^^  m  the  8th  «e0la^  o£  the 


■■^i 


# 


^OQl»df  o^i^iia^^ 

iee0iiitM»Mtoi^ 
_^  •lie(|4M^ltoi^^|B^1^.  ,|l^  ll 


# 


41* 


■:<!>. 


,:# 


# 


eq^ually  fatal,  and  prove  that  %^^il«d  Aitidfe  b  tpi^ 

clared i^t  if  the  iiiliiil^ttofiivdPidl»«iiM 
now,  6v  should  hetealu^  he^  iMit^tt^ittto  ikm^^^M 
mtM  he  a  viiABdiM  of  that  jbIaiis^  <tf  tlie  ConsllNi^B 
^wUth  i^hul^  to  t^6  estitbltebiMitt  tif  att'taltatt  tiil«t^ 
naturaliatidii,  rfncft'  thd*  p«bpl©  woiikl  b©  jwawwrted* 
from  foreignerai  to  citSzttw^  Bot  ialihemode-jilwacailx** 
by  the  natowlitotbii  kW8.  i= 

Mr;  Gaybtd  ^tsWc^  from  New.  York,  denied^  *hAt 
there  e^dsted  in  the  ITtiited  States^  aa  etidb,^  a  ciwpiKity  t4^ 
acquire  territory,  fi»d  cottteirded  that,  by  th^  eouetitor 
^ion,  they  were  re^trieted  to  the^Bmitawiiich  existed  a* 
^he  time  of  its  adoption.  He  iMidr'*'^  itheddrsee^A  oi- 
the  4th  article  of  the  OonsUtmtiWi  we  tea«t5  '<MtffSUim 
nm^le O^mmei^^hy  the  ^3b*^i*w^ ^fUa «Wi^ C^feAw^^*  tObn* 
gress  thetefoi^  ma^  admit  lieWBtsleibttt^  aoeprdkig  t(» 
my  cOBSthiction  of  this  ar^cle;  ^<liis  ^k»wer  wwmSbM  1^ 
the  territory  belonging  totbe Ui6tedSt»te»^  the  fofmn* 
^ayk  of  the  biiM1atati6n^toi3wr  territory  then^^^ 
United  States.  Existing  t^iritexy,  liot  within  tl»B  Imaeila 
of  any  pait^enkr  States,  ^][iay«'%er  iiN»6spc^M  in  iihe 
v^nion.  I  maintani,  therefo*©,  thmt-flie  liwer  to  imot** 
parage  new  ieifUeii^  dOeB  not  exist;'  tmd  tiia%1f%'d^ 
exist,  It  beIo^«id  to  the  Le|^ttei<^  and  not  t!^  Bl^ecA^ 
ti'^e,  ^o  inclMpoHate'  it  m  1*[e  Union.'  If  thb  w^^^^ 
case,  it  was  ^  dnty  €^f  the  HiMse  to  railKt  IN  wnia^ 
jpower  by^the  EtiBctStive*** 

^•^  Ute  c^te  speilseiini'eai'H^^lc^^lii^  (gmtifmmmf^^ 
led  over  the  sani^  j^i^mil^^^ini^^fWMi^^ 
aigoments,  asseftii^HM;  ^^"0^  Wt«d  .^Stiteiiif«ai# 
liQqn^  teiTiiory,  it  wMidl^  «»-diak(^  It  mftKt'is^^'lS^ 
tJbnfedeflMf  a^  aStite,^^  W%fskt\t  b^  mMifXimy  ^ 
«ver,watf«sorttjr«^b«idiift«^  < 


*'■ 


* 


4 


'•ittOM^^imaiiBozav'  nr  mmx. 


M 


ifH^<^'^liiiiitti^b^0Bd  th#  tbUTMs  of  tiin  i^lMfiiBiji^i  *, 

•p$ck>t' Gi^  "^^  neqmim&DB^  the  ii4e 

of  CSiiiiadit  an^^^fae  'N«teliez  eoidd  be^tedf  ^littl  €^« 
gM^liii#^ex^i«8*0d,  kt  thor  own  «6ti^  ft  sofotttt'Mog^ 


% 


•ft  i« 


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n 


m 


^^'■-  ..jt'.  '..J,, 


M 


■*r- 


B¥aa^  Itfid  Si»itt  wi^  to  fi^litf  Ik^jM^^S^g^^ 

by*  tiiiBT  i^ettt^ ;  that  thd  f$iiimmc»  6tiMmfsmi^St^ 

iii»$^ll^  BO  teodoif  ^rilbNMgiii^i^^aie  €dlltt^ 
liiivt»  it  in  th«tF  powo^  «tt£i^  W^'iidi^^'^^sM^ 
tt^m^^lBfiiilty^  li^r  tfvkiig'off  imtti  i^|^|)8  <^  %^ 
«|id  B(imi»  iitoH  dn  as  #ere  li%li6r'^tluiii  iiiB'  dis^ 
paid' by  4^eftoi  vewek,  so  as  to  fmt  all  the  Ainieridiltt 
porta  mi  iiursaiiye  lev^  wi^iNeK^OifloatofcV  >   "  ^^     '    ' 

^  Wbea  I  say  tlds,'*  co!atiitao#  Mr.  litoinas  Bwidolpli^ 
^^afel(^^dl(Hn^  1^^^  iio^fo  myself  I  ^itor^H^I  moi^ 
to  taJi^  ^f  lAum  b^avy  d&Mi  av  1^  ttofe'fiBie|#^Moa 
£;  of  1^6  eonstttBtional  objeot^ns  urged  by  %f!ia^^m^)m 
The  article  of  tbetfeatyy  80  often  qilotad^  sbows  that  i^ 
preferan^la  givt^ to  om  port  o^er  ttaotker^  Yet,  lof 
tQn^g  to  our  statute  bookSf  it  wiE  be  ^pere^red  ^«^' 
4it|^re8^tbei^^fiiN9S(MD«  porta  ^itl^d^^t^^^ 
wMiili^erp^rtsdonotenioyr  ibat  tbey  are  sieit  tt^pt 
Ibr  partii^siktf  ^b|ec^  a&d  partioalarly  for  tiie^try'M 
llMiiito  brot^  firotn  b^^d  ^the  ^ape^  (^  €ood  Bc^ 
Aoeoifdi]^  ilier^fbr^f  to  the  dbo^^  -^^iNIl^^  ^kli 
a  violafion  of  #e  C/oastittilion."  f       '  >  H* 

Mr.  Smilii^  i^m  ^ennajdi^attia,  iliotigbt  tbat  lire  ti9^ 
of  annezii]^  territory  TTMinddentfd  to  all  gcmakimetM ; 
tliat  sticli  a  power  moat  be  ireirtisd  in  bodbs  of  tkedeptt^ 
nnoxts  of  tke  goYexDinetti  o£  the  United  &&0»;  4k«t 
dU«»ly  it  tiras  iM^  yested  in  tbe  States'  kidJr^ti]^,  as 
t^y  w^«^«s^teiH$|^  dlTaslied  «f  1M  f|^^l^%eitig  de^ 
p^^  <&m^p€mm!  of  iSi^ek&l^^rMimM  UMng'vmt^ 
W;4M"it  o&iM  tiSsida^la  :fiie«.  Ssiivpal  Goirenui^eiit 
4)ili^Bj(;;»'  •-  V.-.-  ',\'.,  ■f..-H.;.««  >v,i,-t '  >  vJ ;  . .  >-■  •-'  v' ,■l-■■ 
^'Ml^'  B^dbaj^vlri^n-  D^Hisilrat^  ,#iid:  "1%aV  by  the 


#4 


t 


'# 


t 


■fpti^^if^i^mm'^*^^  mmwun^fm' 


".T^tcn^ 


n#M^  lio^^i^  0lip«l«doii^^  m  tiie  treaty  of  JU>iidfl%c;,'«|[6|9 
Ijiii  t]^aty,,whar«by  the  Umt«idtajl|(epi»wer»pl6a§0d  Horfe 

l%lie:;4litiiiB#vtlu^  p4d  i^fKtiDL  sq<^  iipi^^^ 

b^Q^t  intQ  1^9  iyQie^^oaa  AtlaAtiG  p9artB  j^i  ;4sa0v^ 
bottoms*    *>  la  tWB  4^^ 
a?ail  ;<iliem$elvfB9  cs^  ttw?  dptiiJictiott  tiik«r^^^ 

aili.a.9tate, ev«n  if  they  ^j^e  sq  dl^poffttlrriilice^^^^^^^^^ 
licnift^^^aeetioii  ire:re  pQirts  6f  fke^iBi^Miep^eUi^^ew 

tho  Mty  ^f  Mm  Yorji^  ilMI|/tN^!:  had  tii^  fio^llxiciilioiwe 
ollqera)  "irese  gO^eMed'byit^^^ 

i^^iSf  and  d«i&  iW^^^i^^^  atf^^Aiii^  p%J»idef  ^ 
4^^e  of  tli4  feitk^tr^^  1^  j^^^j^ 

^j0^  h^UmmrMoxi^  a&d#i  «]^fc(ni4<!^  ^sfffc^l^^ 


'Hi*' 


■■«# 


'# 


ilbt' 


t 


m^ 


how  W^%m9r;^emt^ 


'.  ai 

to  QVge  agakst  thftt  iiiider  disoitinoii.  •■'Mtiw^.^tM^^lim:' 
gtBe^^mOi  witli  thft  opinion  ho-nofr  hMt^^ltipm-imM9A4 
m      nil  Brh^  hmoim'kk^  wria^  mm» 

<M  irhuk  Amefiean  bottoms  were  admiMedaitlcriAmimif ^ 
oan>  ports  gen«n%?    l!her«by  malong' ^M(^>«tf^^<(l^^ 
enceh^fing  that  very  j^r^i^Br^nditf^to^^iioee^fM?^^ 
p^rts  ol  certain  etaitee^wMolih^  telB^naeannot  o^pBtlkw« 
ikmi^  l9#^iN»i  to  the  port=ol'Neir;0rleiin8^^^id^ti^Bg||i 
thaVv  |)^%  not  within  aiiyvtat^^  and,  lillm 
|^61^)<d0etttne  be  o^fcwt^  M^ 

^  Anothef gentle«ian  Ibem  Cbniieefeioi^^  oenti]»«|d  Mi^ 

the^oeded  territov]^lrei#^A<»7,t^  ahoidd  heresitarr|>ei,^id| 
mitted '  into  the  Unio%'  itvipii]«^v  be>}&  yidati«nk^'ei?;4^ 
(Oiftnsi^  of  ili^^iOooititi^^  t&#»ieetalkf$i^ 

ment  ol  im  wCcoBk  nde}^  jHvt9iniliaatio%  jotix^t  tfa^ 

tyaf^^aio^  f9%809ibe#^  o^  ]ttw^^l>v«|iiliH 

B^l0d;^a!oni^-'onp^eetem'''peel«^^^ 


•^^ 


tii«tf^^«iiie)^lM|t:% 


^t 


* 


* 


^ 


m 


fmtieaim  «lit6i»(ilttoe  tiw»  po<iiinfl  ao»  Ihe  rig^  of 

^Mf£iittl  Meinit:^  Mtd  of  px^Mftir,  iilA4K«)^aiiD0iig  the 

40fttiit|^rhlkfai?of  tftt^^^  "^<:<»^ 

^pm^^ik»mmi,  «iMory4o«jiot  iiqii^        we  are 
.b^iudefw  to  iidsilt  then^lo  lih»moiii|iiiiHiid  ^<^in«nt 

o^!!poyilt»  ibexa  into  the  TJnion~-iiot  on  1ih»  footfai^  of 

tiHscci^bni  to^  e^i^ead  to  t0  Ibhe  pfffair 

^idee  of  ^e  Oi«iitit«tioD,  tlM  xigHts  and  immni^liee 

iriiai  liberty  Vbioh  every  oMNn 

may  cbaUengef  irhether  be  be adtiMii  of  an  mdivi^ttal^ 
:  atA^  Of  of  ik^teiintQxy  aaboTdinftte  to  and  dependent  on 
,i!bm»&mf»^m^^  Inibe  mean 

t^  iboy  «re  to  be  j«<rtitted  in  %  Ji^oy^ 

^^bi9fM  (» iQ0fe  States.*' 

^^^^^  90»%ihe  J^fieaker  finwaiei  tb« 


3fMiteadMi^  Ma^m  mw^^  4h 

MiiW': 


a 


^ 


ifi 


If 


n^ 


-j-C«^ 


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*/ 


,i 


«^  miUiofM  of  f ranee  to  th«  JB)ren(^  BepMc^  atd  U> 
thepaptMn^  hy  th6  United  States  of  Mt9  dm  %  FtanOi 
to  ciHami^  the  United  States^  he  Hfeirred  to  the  Oorh 
miUee  of  Waye  and  MimM.  ■ 

These  JeedlutiotiB  were  carried  by  «  vote  of  90  yeaa  to 
25  nays.  The  nay 8  were:  l'fh)tii  Vermont,  0  frMn 
MatsadhuBetts,  5  from  Connecticut,  d  fi>om  New  YoiIe,  3 
firom  New  Hampshire,  1  from  Maryland,  and  4  ftm. 
Virginia. 

On  the  28th,  the  bill  ft*om  the  Senate  entitled :  "  An 
Act  to  enable  the  President  of  the  United  States  to 
take  possession  of  the  territories  ceded  by  France  to 
the  United  States,  <fec.,  with  the  amendments  proposed 
by  the  House,  was  passed  by  a  vote  of  89  yeas  to  2a 
nays.    It  read  as  follows : — 

Sect.  1. — Be  it  enacted,  that  the  President  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  he,  amd  he  is  hereby,  aruthorized  to  taJce  posses- 
sion of  and  occupy  tlie  territory  ceded  by  France  to  the 
United  States,  by  the  treaty  conchded  at'  Paris,  on  the 
30^A  of  April  last,  between  the  two  nations  ;  and  that  he 
may,  for  thai  pwpose,  and  in  order  to  maintain  in  the 
said  territory  the  authority  of  the  United  States,  employ  any 
part  of  the  army  and  navy  of  the  United  States,  a/nd  of 
the  force  cmthoneed  hy  am,  act  passed  the  Qd  day  of  March 
last,  entitled:  ^^An  Act  diredmg  a  detachment  from  the 
MiUtid  of  the  United  StatMy  cmd  for  erecting  c^taiti. 
ars^nak,^  whioh  hie  may  deeM%6omary  f  (M  60  nvUdk 
(^  ^mm  c^jpropriaied  By  the  said  act  (M  filiCiy  he  n^oee- 
mry  w*  har^  a^pfropkaJted  f&r'ihi  fl^T^' ^  carryi^ 
thdi^mit  Mi  ^eoir  to  U  i^Mi&dfr  m  mteMnttf 

.     t,^Afi/iiWd fyii^^iMm,iho;t^  ftm';m 

eaipkaUon  of  the  preeemt  mMck  of  Ckmgr^se^  or  tt/i^e 
prdvis^m  A  '^(i^iiMdef^  ,^  i^fffo>i^  js^mfi^^ 
if  ^  iiiid  terrik¥^^\  aU  the  iniUuirjlf, 


*i'. 
m^- 


■^^  CyBCv 


# 


wbat  bhui  unallt  adopted. 


m 


potMM  eoMroUed  hj  the  oj/ire"\'  of  the  emsting  government 
qf  the  eamey  -vA^  be  ve^ffd  in  anch  person  and  pereone^ 
and  ehaU  be  exe,  ised  in  mwh  mammm'^  as  the  President 
of  the  Uhdted  States  shall  direoty  for  mamtaming  mid 
proteoting  the  inhabita/nts  of  Louisiana  in  the  ftdl  enjoy- 
ment  qf  their  liberty ^  property  amd  religion. 

On  the  29th,  the  House  adopted  by  a  vote  of  85  yeas 
to  7  nays,  "  an  Act  anthox'iaing  the  creat:on  of  a  stock  to 
the  amount  of  eleven  millions  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  the  treaty 
of  cession  into  effect,"  «Src.,  &c. 

Such  were  the  congressional  proceedings  on  this 
memorable  occasion. 


I 


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!,f"J^':-»  /  Ki^'eSv'v*; 


'..,(,.> 


$k1J0mQ^  ADmX^BfSBiMll&JSr. 


■■w. 


1801  to  iS98. 


••v;- 


I  HATE  endeavored,  in  the  two  pi 
relate  with  fidelity,  and  with  as  much  condensation  __ 
fcthe  nature  of  the  finhject"  would  admit,  all  the  tnatea(^ 
tions  relative  to  Louisiana,  which,  in  1802  and  1808,  hai 
occurred  m  the  United  States,  France  and  Spain^  I 
ahali  now  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  Hie  evenly 
jjrhich,  in  the  meantime,  Kad  happened  in  the  colony 
itself,  and  those  whieh  weip  the  result  of  the  transae^ 
tions  I  have  recorded.  Thus,  on  the  26th  of  November, 
1802,  the  Marquis  de  Casa  Irujo,  the  Minister  of  Spain 
at  WasWngton,  had  written  to  the  Intendant,  Mo^ks^ 
and  represented  to  him  the  fatal  consequences  of  hk 
haying  closed  the  port  of  Kew  Orleans  to  the  Americans 
as  a  place  of  deposit,  and  of  his  having  refiised  them  the 
free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  "giving,"  swd  th6 
Minister,  "to  the  dtiaens*  of  the  United  States  good 
caus0  for  daimipg  indemnities  in  return  for  the  ser^oul 
damages  which  tlieir  commerce  will  mevitably  su&r^ 
On  the  ]l6th  of  January,  1808,  Morafea  answered  wi# 
some  tartness:  "That  the  orders  alluded  to  by #t 

*  P^4o  ^  los  cincUdiUMi  de  lot  BttodM  Unidai  lay p  &  ^^Hrnvfiimm  A4  jA- 
imidMMiu  Jim  loi  gnita  pajuidM  <p»  indiaptpwNemente  hn  di  n^Sbk  w 
•a '«caiM«io. ' '  "■■■'■'■     ■; ' : 


«■ 


^m^ 
'^^ 


■f 


IBaiBter  eBumated  spleLy  from  tbe  Inteifdaiicy,  and  had 
been  idsaed  noiifiiIistatt^]|illie  of  the  Grovel' 

ii6r)  with  trhojon  h%th#Mtendaa^  ha^^iii  coofiequenc^ 
thi^reof,  had  some  dlffienliaes ;  and  th4i<]fe  assiimed  the 
whole  re^)on8lbUity  of  the  measiire,  the'<)ljeet  of  which 
hud  b^en  to  stHke  at  the  root  of  the  ifxdnite  irregula- 
r^<es  ani  abnsets,  which  were  the  result  oi  the  right  of 
<^^w^  granted  to  the  Jlmericaos  at  Kew  Orteans."* 

It  appears  from  a  despatch  of  the  same  ojfiieeiV'l^t 
thQ  i?evenae  aocming  to  the  Eiiig^s  treaisiuy,  from  eVery 
sonnse  in  the  colony^  amomited,  in  1802,  to  $121,041. 
"The  revenniB,"  observed  the  intendant,  ** would  have 
be^nmqich  morii  considerable,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
contaraband  trade  carried*  on  by  the  flatboats  which 
come  down  "^  riter^ 

On  the  first  day  of  March,  s&ys  Jndge  Ji&irtin  in  his 
History  of  Louinani,  the  King  disapr|]^Faved  of  the  order 
of  Morales,  prohibitang  the  introduciion  toM,  deposit  ol 
g9o4%  wares  and  merchandise  from  the  tJinted  States  in 
the  port  of  New  Orleans,  and  order^  that  the  United 
8t^t(6i9  shonld  oohtinne  to  w^  their  nght  of  deposit  in 
Kew  Orleans  wMioot  {xNyjudioe  cxf  hk  ii^t  to  snl^ti- 
tiite  some  other  J^ot  on  the  baniB  of  the  JlHs^ij^i. 

On  ihje  33rd  of  ^^6  simie  mo^th^  the  Oabildo  had 
completed  all  the  preparations  nec^sskry  to  receive  ancf 
stil^ly  with  provilkms  die  lai«ge  body  of  troops  eicpeeted 
with  ©eneral  Victor.  Oh  the  next  day,  by  the  arrival 
d  A  vessej^from  Havre,  the  colonists  were  pnt  in  pos- 
session ol '  the  doonmonts  which  gave  them  informa#on 
of  the  new  form  of  government  intended  fbr  Lomsi^aia. 
Its  principal  offiieers  were !  a  Captain-General^  With  a 
sulary  of  tO^OOOfraltacsi  aIi^ten{mt<)iEipid^ 

1a  ifipiBBMbflite^^^i^       ttitlM^m  Hi*  fog  inilNHf v9lMi(l^«^      «1»ipp  QM 

87 


w 


m 


♦ 


# 


#' 


*.« 


m 


.*■ 


who  WAS  to  oMimftnd  k  IJpfiJ»|^p48apy»»^i^^ 
6i  30|Q00  ^aiwfe  ;  r  two  B?^|^ikdl^]^^^ 

With  9J000  fianfl*  ea^  ( il%i€}^^ 

sahay  ^f  60,000  trmn^  ^^&f^  ta  l^i^pipiM^JI^©^ 

m  the  civil  department,  came  the  Q0ml^^^  <3^,$m^. 

"The  OaptMn-^neral*  wii»iC(^m^iidei^iBichiecf<J| 
land  and  naval-forces^  aj^.  iiad  frtit  caire  M::^  miQU9V 
and  interior  defence  of  the  colottjr. , ,  ije  jffovJiBoriljr  #ed 
vacancies  in  miKtai?y  offlloes^  <wciQ3:#ng^^^^^t^^^^ 
advancement,  «s-iar  as  the  grade  osfieBef^of^djjdseardr 
squadron  (chef  de  division  on  ^esoadt^r  ^<l?i4r^pp<>po^^ 
to  the  Minister  proper  persons  j^f<iU;Vl^ghwr /grades^ 
Efe  delivered  pas^rts;  regulated^  the  ItJeaHng^^^^^^^^^ 
and  corresponded  with  the  governors  <)f  ^er  colowes^ 
whether  belonging  to  idUeSjrJieiM^raife^  ot  0o«imes,i   ^th 
the  Colonial  Breteot  jhe  regttl»ted ;  ttoe  woi^  t^  W^m^ 
on  the  fortiftcation^  imd  thje^ 
and,  finallyv  exeroisedj  all  Ihe  ^pomm^f^ikw^s^ 
to  govemor&^newd;v  Jle^  wa»  fothidd^  to  ja 
with  ^e  atta^i^botions  ^  ^  Col<mi#^f«?tj.<^  o| 
Commiissary  of  JitKstice;  bnt  W»sj  antorized  M  re(|J#e 
from  either  of  them^  informatte  on  a|^  ani^ei^  i^^ 
to  the  service.    Power  was  given  him  to  dpspend'  pro- 
visorily  the  execntiea  of  lawSj  in  whole; or  itil)  part^on^^ 
responsibility,  after  having  conSnlte^the  Colonial  Pre- 
fect, !  or  the  Commissary  of  Justice  *AecQipag&#>;^^^ 
■  nature  of 'the  case;-.^-:.'?^-'-^^:'  ^M^'  sy-^-:--ii  fs.-''v^  u.^y^-v*-* 
■  "  Copies  of  every  deBberatiojnw€8re  to  bA  sent  ye^ 

to^the-Mnisterv '-y    ■".  ■■  '■■>^'^ '•■^ '  ■■^.'■■' '''■". j ■ 

"Vacant  lands  were  to  be  giAl^i  byth^^  Oap<^ 
Generai  And  Colomal  Prefect  J  but^  in  c«»e^) 
ment,  the  opinion  of  the  former  was  to  prevaiii 


^:^. 


■T 


*  M«rtio'«  BUtory  of  Lonuiana,  tqI  &,  jp»  ilfik 


# 


ite- 


/,;.^^),y:-.V'*- 


:r 


tETimm^ ^OSbli&ikJkiBJ^^  THE  COLONY.    579 

• -:|i^#jtti^^^  ^awial' lie- 

jfe0t-:a|3^;J5^aM6ife^  hy  the 

j^ig^^^f^lmii^^  appoint-- ' 

T^  tO;  be  iffj^i^i^d^s^:  hyii^i(^kiU>jn^  hy 

**  ^e  dcJiiwP  f|^«fWs   powers  ;ext0ttd«d  ^ 
«MJNl^^^ate  <^f  tJbe  1^       the  gen^rid  Aceotiiitai^k^ 
and  iie$|uia^n  of  all  officers  of  adnunistratipn.    ]B[«,^^ 
ieihai^f^r^witk  ilw  jpe^m.  6i  tlie^c<)S<^viiii-^  > 

;Cl(isi|6m  ib&is^'  i^  ^gay  of  the  ti^9P|t0^/^ 

(^  sltiiv^^^  id^iiirays^  k  intt^TWtipix  aiife|f^ 

s]^#(e  ^pi^  snd^  g^era^j^^  tfie  ppwers 
exipe&B^  l^  IntezucUuits^  and  or^a^ing 
(QomtilildMQres ;  Qrdo&Qateui^.    In.  Ilie  ^  assQSsinent ^of . 
taxe^he  WHS  to  cons^t  three  mercliapts  and tbre^^^ipl^^ 
tie;iR|,v,^.-Ia;Xiai*e^  -to^  -  be  ::^^e^eni|||f  %. 

^' oiiQ#-#«d^  tieaBt  in- riHi]c^.^*i;.i.i>; v  -.-y  ^  '^ 

^Tlie  do|a]Qa^ssar J  o|  «Fi»tioe  ha4  the'4nip^r»b^ 
.#  «dl'.thd^€OiiH«^'O|;juitio@'^0d;tlk^ 
he  Was  to  have  on  e^B^/l^  thejrcg^^adimKU^^ 
j^tic^vthefiafety  and  s^abnt^ 
dltct  of  offieera  and  «ler)E6,  ottd  ^iii^kftriuttedlwii^^ 
lii(ieof  v^ai9|ts.   He  might  p^dt^  em^'roie3ia^^^(ic0ma^^ 
o^' j^<^  he  WAS  to  reqiui^  moi^^ 
ease,  ^med  i^oijti  the  Presideiit  aand:  clierlia  o£i)ii^t|}]|4Q«^ 
aitd ^^e V (oonuooimieatedJ  ihei^:  .to  ■-•ih,e^^Ossj0^iia^&^is^^ 
H^  was  a&tb^aiM(df4o<midce:ir^^ 
of  justice,  wii^^^^^kj^ 
to  order  tb^m  to  I^^B^^ 
were  not  snabl6  foi^  any  matter  relatiiig  to  their  oifices, 


w 


^ 


■#<    v\ 


'k^^ 


iv 


'» 


I 


:#' 


t 


fife 

m 


♦;  ■  r- 


*«ii; 


IPHE  OOLOmAL  PREFBOE  Lid 


'S 


nor  C00I4  aay  citiz$ii  in, the  Jj^lf^  s^tvfce  J>e ^p3:ti 
without  l|ie  Comioissa^ 
to  give  ftR  ac<Kyuttt  C  j^^^ 
tiie  Mnwter.    He  Was  toApa^ep^  iii  4yU^^^  1^ 
cpd^  and  siibwit  i1^  jtp  the  C%tMnrQe«^j|4  aj64^<^ 
ftefiat  for  their  examination,  j«d  trananut  il^  j^ 
pnoc^N-yerl^  of  their    dehhOT^^ongi  ih^^  th^ 

liaaster;*    Such  were  the  principal  oUtlin^  of  a  govern- 
ment which  was  destined  to  b^  never  c»rri^  into  f^e- 
cution.        .  ■:■■•::::::     i':\.- .  " './;-  .'.  ,,';.,v"-'-'-'--'-'.  '//^'m- 
On  the  26th  of  March,  the  Gpbm^  Prefect  Jiau^t 
arrived  t^t  N^w  Orleans,  and  was   received  With  i^ 
custoniai^  honors  on  such  ocoa^ppsj  h|  the  ^paiush 
Governor  and  Intendant,  round  whom  had  assernbled, 
fof  the  reception  of  th«  French  Dignitary;,  aU  the  C51ey^ 
oiwir  Orleans,  and  the  principal  officers  of  the  regular 
tyoops,  of  the  militia,  and  of  the  civil  fidministratJLon. 
llie  circumstance  called  %  an  address  f5pom  ^f  lijw 
ruler  of  the  land,  and  he 'expressed  those  conciUatmg 
seniimenfe  which  were  expected  to  flow  of  course  from 
ln$  lip^    Tlie  French  Gbveirnment,*  he  said^  wx)jjid  have^ 
but^pne  object  in  view,  which  was  the  prosperity  qf  the 
colony;  J  this  had  been  the  sole  aim  of  the  IVfench 
Qonsui  in  making  this  important  acquisilaon;  order  was 
to  beaigidly  maintamed;  laws  and  customs  were  to  be 
reejjected;  treaties  with  the  Indian  nations  were  to  be 
observed;  and  no  change  was  intended iitt  the  public 
worfiip  and  in  th€i  orgwization  of  the  d^lgy,  over 
which  the  most  liberal  protection  was  ip  be  extended. 
Kotwithstanding  the  suavity  of  tiliespprcmfaes,  a  good 
deal  of  exuitepent  prevailed  ii^  the  province,  and  soine 
there  were,  who,  conpid^iing  the  course  pursued  by  t^ 
French  fe  Si  Domingo,  i»ijyterta,ined  considerable  feaij. 


*  MarUa's  History  of  LoTunana. 


•  'i^'         'Af 


.,«» 


JOEABS  XiV  THH  OpItONISTS, 


68| 


IIS  t<^the  seoittity  of  the  tenure  of  a  certain  kind  of  pro^ 
p^i*ty.  r  "^  liiade  more  keen  by  the  dis- 

eovery^^a  the  c6l<»ed  population,  at 

the  liiid^^ait^  ^d  nbder^^t^^  an  American, 

^med  S<i|>|)6^''  1^  and  the  name  thus 

e^t,  in  ]i  despnteh  from^M^  of  the  2i^tli  ^f  March, 
tdllie  Spanish  goyernment 

>' ^e  Louidioman^f^  #Ay8  Barbe  Marbois  m  his  History 
of  I^dnisiana^  ^had^i^on  to  fear  for  thenoselvea  the 
ciQamitiies  trhich  had  beeUj  fbr  many  years,  ruining  the 
other  colonies  of  France.  Si  Domingo  was  the  most 
j^tated  and  nnfortunate  of  alL  The  <K>loni8ts  repeated 
with  horror^  at  New  Orjeans,  thesfe  words  which  the 
First.  Gonstd  had  caused  to  be  proclaimed,  in  his  name, 
in  ffireyolted' colony,  aiid  which  were  addressed  to  all 
clj^i^ses.    **"  If(h0lntant0  of  SL  I)<mii^  mm^'he 

yotUr  ooUi(F^y<ym  Qin^m^yau,  are cM  free;  (dl equal m 
th^4^m  cfGodcmd  theMepvi>l4c,^^  General  Leclerc^  oi^t 
his  aflival  in  the  colony,  had  saidte?*"  ^^  I  promise  liberty  w 
ii$thetmh^Mm^  • .  ,^  *-:,,%^.V  >y^;'"r '.■^.■.. 

'^'  Some  of  the  re^g^  colonisife  of  St.  Domingo  had 
bi'ought  a  p^tt  of  .their  negroes  to  Louisiana^  and  ^i^re 
thierefar^  siBcretiy^  im  jfrom  deisirkig  another  removal, 
ot  participating  in  the  views  of  those  who  had  lost  py6ry 
thing.  They  easily  madei  the  Lotiisianiand  acqua^ti^ 
i^th  theilanger  that^heyt  would  in(^j  in  case  the  Frene]^ 
BepubliCj  as  the  suprenie  Legisla^ye  power,  shoiild  onf| 
dayproelium  manuinisioft  and  feeedom  in  this  colony 
'  *  vf  fL  V  f ,  ♦  >  From  all  those  disasters  ^ 
LoTip&nlffi&s^d^lpeeted.to  be  preserved,  if  ^  sovereignty 
of  ^e  Catholic  !lpQg  was  not  transferred  to  tl^e  French 

M  theie  fa(^  had  b<^iL  ttd^n  i^  (Ine  coifidei^^ 
an  (^^(^#ithes8,  spdaloii^  x^  the  sediments  which  were 


i-i' 


(ll 


I 


«.tj 


■% 


SV 


'^- 


^ 


^: 


out  ^piii^jpWAiid  i(t!^^ 

]n«giatriM«^  who  xioixies  to  oe,  it^i^o^mpaiM^  his  ypiwj§ 
and  beautiful  family,  and  preoei^  ^1^^ jM*bUp  «ateei^^ 
l&^Mng  has  bem^abl^  to;4imiiiJ^  Ms 

Bois^oBu  091X008^1  Hi»  |ffo«l)^a!riow»hi^t0ibee]aih©a|^^^^ 
somec  .i^j'twdjwMv  8«d(  by^heg^^       part  ©f  the  inha-r 
bitants  jrith  ^et^me^^ M^foenee  aft  the  beat  of  ^the  dmot 
is  listened  to,  wh^n^it  jinnoBn^\^^^ea0«pf  oi, »  elave  m 
a.siilOvft::auetiQnv'  ;:,  v.;        ■^'  *•''-■  ■ 

Oim  of  I#u»M*;(s'i*  to*  capes  w 
oji^ions  whieh^elev^nv  yearn  before^  had  been  er^et^d  by 
^  ©wx?n  de  Garoi^^ 

^ifih  he:  gwre  o^  them,  to  th©  minister  I>^cm;v"J^ 
foistij^eii^tos^ham^  n  ;^tig 

kto  ibeay ;  th&  ditch^  j^  theitew»tare 

crumbling  down;  the  palisadef  are  wanting; *^prc«tten; 
the  brieves  have  given  way,  or  consist  only;  of  one  or 
tw0ibfis««af^e  gates  ai«  <^jt^!^hinge%and  dKe^lying 
on^e  gsound*  It  had  la*%  be»tt  ji?<^^ 
ofc^am  tovisaa^  or  tMi  lfi«#  igr©«%;  ict  fe^to^^ 
as  ibemg  useless  and  ©^ei^miat^e 
wl^«3i  jeveigr^year  eanf^  off  the  most  vidu^fo  po^^aM 
o|;^e  popriii^on  x)|i^  tlssiRl^e  when 

were  dng  ipund  it  the»«  JilcheB  s^^  of 

sta^iatuigfi^aterc    Tli0  p^aoiiiWip 
t|^|a%iai^  l^oyerniipittl^  atone  prevented 

it;il^^:i^Mdha|^  oUv^bos^jp^^ 

"  Witi  ^?egtqrd  to  |)u]Wic  edifices,  l^e  which  ^4?^d 


v. ,  a^qsf  *J^rfiSiri(p|M*<#R  S0rt»r^ 


■mm 


*• 


.# 


JiktmM!i  (^  T&ft  8fMS  Of  1^  ooLomr. 


&dd 


IMfiM^  llif  1u^  wMcl  hikd  b^^  left^  by  the  French, 
tlbl^  d|aiii&^  %aife  notmade  &ny  solid  and  pcirman^nt 
<k>nsi{^ctib^  lliejr  «<^to^  tli^]rtt6€ilVM  with  renting, 
6ii  when  obmpeUed  W  cb  so,  %M  <^  edi- 

fl^^NfhMi  t^6fm  vilta^  -'A: iMi %«tdii!Fd^  however, 
(^^  likMo«teer)  hai»im^^^i^  %tiek  find  mor- 
iixCBii^i^^  haQ,  and  a  ehnroh.'' 

'  As  to^th^  adl&iiktra^oiii  '^f  Justice  under  the  Spanish 
Governmeiit,  Lauss&t  thus  e:^jfireesed  Im  o|)Snio!i  in  a  des- 
patch of  th¥24th  df  May: 

*»*'f  wttJ'iow  proceed  to  aayioir  justice  is  fsdBBdniatered 
h6M, 'i^Wch  is  #or86  thatt  in  Turkey. 

"**  AJI}tii%fiients  fef6  given  iathfe  name  of  the<3^ovemoifi 
e^i^t  in  inilttei^  iippeii/afinilkg  to  the  revenue,  in  which 
^  %tetoi^^f '^e  ifttfeft^ 

■  '^ile  Gk>v#Dor  uigni  his  name  as  a:  mere  formaU^  his 
sig!^l|itur^  i&  a  mattelr  of  <^ttrse  and  entitles  him  to  a  fee, 
^%his  id  dife  of  ther  brai&t'heB  df  the  contingent  salary 
tilloWed  to  his  office. 

^  **©tit  kt  th6  cftbaW  of  the  Governor  is  what  is  called 
lit  iiud|te^  tdid  %  s^'sort'bf  Lieutoiant-Govemorj  and 
ih#Gm%i^T«a^ 

tiur}f  Ikai^^  the  advice  o€  thb 

ifidr^iatuftlj  \irh6  fe^  fecti  t^  sole  •^'-^  both  in  ci^ril 
a^d  ciin^i^'cais^s.  Assessors  are  not  even  req^uired  to 
a^^rith  iiiii  as  liafi&stan  A  pow«r  which  a 

jA^ce  of  the  pead6'in  Fj«ii«^^  not  exercise  in  relur 

iron  to  ait  amouift  bf  ti^enty  ddUars,  id' allowed  to  the 
atiditbr  -in  N^W  Orlewis  as  to  any  amOutit.  For  theS6 
r^asbns,  hli^  ji^gnients  ard  not  rali^  on^  and  command 
nb^i%fi^t»  Whether  they  be  »»rreet  op  notj  they,  never 
iiil  to  be  iiMe  ^^^^^ 

^  *^  A;t  liifi^^t^  a^^^     aocusatioii,  1ife*<iaractra*  bf 
;«^^Bhi^  suddenly  6hang«d,^#h!<^ 
l^eihiitM  ^  b^  jl^  ^or  months, 


iill 
11 


j*r 


m 


0 


^ 


ft, 


'«. 


I.AUSaAT  Oir  ^RBir  STATE  W 


CtttONT. 


<}isa|ypear8  fbc  ev«»  from  the  dooket.    Ireqiietiily^  tk^; 
13  to  be  P!p  end  to  &  lawsuit,  aou.  it  is  destined  to  be  eter^^ 
nal,  beoanse  the  auditor  has  got  possession  d?  all  the 
papew,  and  will  never  ^ve  them  up. 

^*  Besides,  suits  are  so  expensive^  that  a  good  many  in- 
dividuals prefer  to  sacrifice  their  interests^  however  con- 
siderable they  may  be,  than  to  maintain  ^em  at  law. 

.  "The  right  of  appeal  to  Cuba  and  to  Madrid,  is  a  slow 
and  ruinous  remedy,  (fee,  <&c.  •  *f^ 

LaiTiSsat^s  statement  hi  unfortunately  confirmed  by  a 
communication  from  Daniel  Clark,  the  United  States*  con- 
sul at  New  Orleans,  addressed  in  1808  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  State  at  Washington:  ^'The  auditor  of  war," 
said  he,  "and  the  assessors  of  government -and  inten- 
dancy,  have  always  been  corrupt ;  and  tathem  only  may 
be  attributed  the  mal-administration  of  justice^  as  the 
Grovewaor  and  other  judges,  who  are  unac^jnainted  with 
law,  seldom  dare  to  act  contrary  to  the  opijnonis  they 
give.  Hence,  when  the  auditor,  or  assessor,  was  bribed, 
suitors  had  to  complain  of  delays  and  infamous  de^^ions. 
All  the  officers  plunder  when  the  opportunity  ^ffei-s ; 
they  are  all  vend.  A  bargain  can  be  made  with  the 
govemoi!,  intendant,  judge,  or  collector^  down  to  the  cion- 
stable ;  and  if  ever  an  officer  be  displeased  at  an  offer  of 
money,  it  is  not  at  the  offer  or  offerer,  but  because  impe^ 
rious  circumstances  compel  him  to  refnse^  and  the  offerer 
acquires  a  degree  of  fevor^whioh  encourages  Inm  to  miike 
a  second  offer,  when  a  better  opportunity  is  presented.'^ 
This  is  a  frightful  picture*  Tlit  there  were  but  too 
many  cases  of  corruption  se^ms  to  be  true,  but  that  it 
should  have  been  systematically  carried  to  the  extent 
here  described  by  Laussat  and  Dankl  Clark,  is  somewhat 
rebutted  by  other  testimony^  and  not  confirmed  bjr living 
witness^  of  great  respectability^?  ' 

Immediately  after  his  arrival,  Laussat  obtained  from 


# 


I 


% 


f*.:-    ,    # 


LAJJSBA'S  Oir  1EBB  BIOBT  OV  DSPOaCT. 


5g5 


t|ia  Iii1pQfUMi%  t^$it  Fr»ik<^-  ve«8^  on  l^el  nning  into 
tiie  colon;jr  «wd  on^heir  going  oot^  Iw  put  exactly  on  tko 
same  footing  vi^  fl^fni^  voanela 
>  On  tke  r^^t  of  d^xmt  whicii'  had  been  granted  by 
tbe  Spfthiards  to  the  Americans,  Lanisataaidf  in  a  de- 
spited  td  his  Government:  ^^ The  consequence  of  this 
jnivilege  is,  that  the  Ani^Americans  oan^ke^  their 
goods  and  effiBcta  in  deposit;  at  New  Orleanf^  /vithont 
paying  anything  else  than  storage.  So  far,  this  d^)08it 
has  been  effi^eted  on  the  single  declaration  of  the  owners 
of  the  goods  wh^  putting  them  in  the  8tore»  of  indi- 
viduals^ whereby  the  prints  of  the  storage  accrued  only 
to  the  merchants  in  whose  hands  the  merchandise  Wte 
pliiced.  But  the  Government  made  nothing  by  it,  be^ 
cause  in  an  open  city  and  in  an  <^p^  province  like  thescyi 
every  soit  of  fraudul^t  importft^on  may  bo  sately  car^ 
ried  on,  To  remedy  this  evil,  aU  that  is  necessary  is, 
that  the  goods  of  the  Americans  be  d^)0sited  in  the 
stores  of  the  Government,  out  of  which  they  woidd  not 
be  taken  without  its  knowledge ;  or^  in  conformity  with 
the  fight  reserved  by  Spfun  to  establish  the  place  of  de- 
posit elsewhere  alter  thft;  expiration  of  a  certain  time, 
shonld  it  be  reqmred  by  her iniierestSjit  woidd  bepropep 
to  designate,  instead  of  !^ew  Orleans^rt^e  Ba^^^orsomo 
other  untenable  spot.^  It  appeal^  by  t^is  document  that 
the  French  Prefect,  Laussat,  was  quite  as  hostile^  the 
contifjuation  of  this  privilege  in  Iftvor  of  the  Americans, 
as  the  Spanish  Intendant,  Morales.  -  ■^^ 

^trUe^  with  the  neeessi^  of  increasing  as  soon  as  poE^ 
sible  the  population  of  the  boundless  provincehe  had 
been  sent  to  govem,  Laussat  h^Btened  to  wiite  to  €hap^ 
tisly  the  Minister  of  the  Interior,  that  it 'was  of  <i^e  uitaaiost 
importance  %6  transmit  annua%  to  .$<9uisiAna,  at  lea»l^ 
fr(»n  one  thousand  to  twelve  >1r,j|dr0d:ftamUe%^fi^^ 
departments  contigncN*  to  Bwitserhknd,  the  Bhine,  c^  the 


^1) 

f 


11 


«■ 


t 


*. 


586 


/ . 


tdilfflMAl'B  l^OClMUr  /ON. 


Lo^  Ooontritt^  ^  becavse^^  fluid  ktt,  H  tlM  enignuits'fitwi 
the  sirathera  protinoes  are  g0bd  Ib^  iictluiig«* 

A  t$w  days  after  luy^iurriihilf Itflvriii^       issiied'a  pfo^ 
oknfttdcra  Itt  the  name  c^  tlto  I^ndi  Itopublio. 

TM^do<nimeiit  b^kia;  M^#tidge  ]tf$^ 
of  LbuisianA,  ^*  by  statlilg  that^e  wpanUkfii^MiMmik 
ft&k  iPrance  marked  ift'tkle  ainak  4i  ^w  latte»  ><Mt^  of 
t^ttioiit  sfaameM  «ttiMiiode»  a  weak'imd  iMmni|M^ 
itttot/aftor  till  igsdiniitfioiiA' war  and  ditbo&or^bld  peafie. 
With  this  unniitEuiid  abandoniiieii^  l^  l^titotiMir^^o^^ 
try,  the  IdiVe,  ioyidt^,  attd'  herdie'xseiira^  c^  1i«^  peo^de 
of  LcndnMia  i[>riaied  a^  noble  dontratrt;  ^vrinh  which  every 
hearfriii  iVatiee  WAB  now  mdved^  aftd  Would  !cng^preMrTe 
the  remembFanee  ofi  'The  BVenehel^l  rei\id^ibered>1^i^ 
la  |k>Hioi!i  of  the'i&ha.bitant8  of  Iionisiittia  "Here  their  de-'^ 
S6etidJwtitBj  with  the  same  Mood  roMiittg  lit  their  ye\m; 
As  idon'is  Francej  by  »  prodigii^iis  st^icesiioii'  of  ti^mphs 
hi  thl!^  late  revekrtion,  ^had  reeoverwl  her^  owft  freedom 
and  glorjr,  sh^  tni^^d  heneym^toWards '  Louisiana,  i^e 
ret^eMk)i  of  which  signalSfl^  Ler  ^fit  peace,  -fiiit  the 
p^Od  Wlttrnotf  yet  ari^idd-^it  wat)  necessai^thaitAiuftn, 
1^1^  is  a  stinger  to  hotiiflig^^PMi  k 
jianimons;  orjnstf  who,'t6  themostdistiijigtiiih*^  taleM 
^rconqnei^,  addf)  the  rare  one  (^obtaisiiig  for  his 
cfott^neife  tiie  happiest  ri^roltSj  and  who,^^by  the  '■tamO'- 
dency  of  te  chaittctei^  at  onoe  st  his 

enemies  tmd  Ihs^ies  his  allies  witili  eonfideno 
expansive  mind  discovered  aioUcethe-<^riie#tereste  of 
his  botmtry; ^d  wiw  bent  on  restoriitg^  to^EVance  her 
pristine  p^^Me^^mA*^^  lost  pos8e«^oiti»'-tehoiild  «c^ 
e^as^llMithi&inlH^^  /r>, 

^  "11^  'ma^*^^ii*fe#l?efi^^^^^    ovw^the  d«h 
iMeami  i^timie^  and  Lotiyaini,  te^  insure  their  Itiliia^v 


.* 


w 


t 


fijLiniUs^  widddaCixibir. 


!^7 


tlitfiMkaiitfigMi  of  wMtk  ]Mitiin»  haft  been  lo  pt'odigiU 
.  towftrdsherj   . 

me&t  ^  Hvd'  it  •^  peao#  tatid  ftmiity'  tirUii^^  ttng^boriug 
indbmi^iitid  "lev  proieoi  th«  ooiimienMio^.  tte  oolosy,  eu- 
ocwmgefft^ftgrieiiltiiiiie,  p0Eypl•lt84«a0C^  .pMHUoli)  labor 
lUid- iatotrji  feftpeet  |taK>pe]1y/^opiiik>ns^»<«|ii^«;]^^ 
jifoteot  p^biKo'W'Ca'ritip)«^|itiMnre  th«  aii^iift^x>ltilie  laws, 
toAetki.  theib  ttibw^  ftod^^tb  tbe  liglit  4>f ^"eisj^isieiioo 
ooXfy  maintaiii  a  regolar,  pcliei^  lintgoidiica  ptBTiaiftir  v 
ofder  and  ec(«<mky  inevegf  biraoQh  @i  tkeadnMBtralido^ 
anii  tigkteii  iJwrbonda  iitliiah'#^^  oi^b^  nasd  a 

sin^aritf  of  ociaiiiieTB^  bad  alreadje  .estiibluhiidi  betw«eir 
l^'oolony  and  tbe  mol^er  coimlcy. 
'' ;^f^:^(lte]7  n  dierk  «idogy  of  tbe  ti^  bigh^auagistrotds 
^tilt-wfaom  he  fvros  aiasociatedf  and  of:  tibe-^offioera  wbft 
bad  bitbepto  govemed  tbe  oo|oi^  midiQf^tb^t^kathority;^ 
of  Spatoy  trbom  hovsaid  that  tberlVeiiik^vOiffi^ 
eiidesiror' to  ioutate,  be  oondfaded  W^tbeaBiaraBQeibafc 
tbe;devotioB  of  the  peofde  of  IioiittiaQa  .io  tiba^Fmeiieb 
R^ttblie^  ^eir  gn^itode  fe/vS^omi^^^^w^ 
]«i«»ted  ter^a&d  tba^^pei^tt^^ 
1^  tewfO^'Wbieb  be  aBpl3^wt<^aadBho<ild.e&deaa^ 
deserve  bj^-a  issiH  w^tk^'weti^ykaom  l^oi^kp^  i&1sb», 
ftttmeiit^  bis  dufthw." 

These  "were  homed  w<nrds^4ideed-<-»*pF0p»big|ialo3^>B( 
ds^ri ;  bixl^  net  maB^  ebMogestof  tbe^nuaMm/bad^^pcqlied 
since  "^7  wece  >ii^redf  trb<m^  the  magnemmoway  ju0 


^Jiim^umBaa^^ 


# 


■:',** 


# 


*■!; 


M- 


APORBBt  Qf  IBM  TbAVTXRS. 


what  he  cottld  not  keejv  as  LouU  Hud  hem  tp  j'iti^  what 
was  an  expensive  enonmbmnoe  to  him.  There  ia  no 
donbt  that  France,  when  ceding  IiQni»latt«  to  the  United 
Btateai  aeted  wieely  for  herself  and  beneficially  for  that 
province.  Bnt  it  is  not  the  less  true,  that  the  sinularity 
<rf  the  policy  which  she  was  compelled  tq  pnrsue,  with 
that  which  her  representative  ha^  ap  bitterly  censured^ 
shows  the  imprudence  of  vituperation,  particularly  in 
connexion  with  any  thing  dependent  on  the  political 
mutability  of  human  aiaii's. 

A  larg^  number  of  planters,  among  whom  were  A. 
Trouard,le  Pain,  Manuel  Andry,  Jacques  de  la  Groue, 
Noel  Perret,  P.  St.  Martin,  Louis  Foucher,  Charles  Fer- 
ret, Ac,  replied  to  LaussatV  proclamaljon  by  a  spiiited 
address,  in  which  they  declared  that;  their  most  ardent 
wish  had  always  been  to  resume  the  glorious  name  of 
Frenchmen,  and  that  the  proclamation  which  announced 
to  them  that  their  long  cherished  hope  was  gratified  had 
Med  their  eauk  vnHy  the  Mirkm  cf  eostreme  fdicity. 
"  But,*'  said  they,  *'  we  should  be  unworthy  of  what  is  to 
us  a  snbjeet  of  so  much  pride,  if  we  did  not  imitate  you 
in  the  example  you  have  g^y»n  ns  by  ypur^xpreswng 
such  generous  8entiments,and  if  we  did  not  aclmowledge 
that  we  have  no  cause  of  complaint  against  tlie  Spanish 
Gk)vemment.    We  have  never  groaned  under  the  iron 
yoke  of.  an  pppresave  despotism.    It  is  true  that  the 
time  was,  when  our  uufortui?<«.fce  kinsmen  i^ddened  with 
their  blood  the  soil  which  uiey  wished  to  preserve  for 
France.    A  weak  and  unfeeling  Government  aimed  at 
depriving  us  fd  that  cherished  possession.     But  ^e 
calattulaes  which  were  inflicted  upon  us  were  due  to  the 
atrooioiw  W  of  a  foreigner  <tiha  Irishman  O'B^illy)  and 
*toan*xtrem  breach  of  faith,    O  plwntiye  shades,  if 
you  stiU  hanut  the  spot  winch  witnessed  your  martyrw 
dom,  forget  your  sorrows  I     Your  descendants,  yw 


^ 


4 


# 


'w  ^^ 


^>'. 


ADDRBM  or  WM  nmAWf  jLxm  ov  imw  oruuns.  589 

friendi,  are  called  back  to  the  botoiii  of  their  beloved 
mother.  Their  grateful  tears  will  wash  out  the  traces 
of  the  blood  you  have  shed,  luaag  ago,  we  proved  to 
the  Spaniards,  in  the  plains  of  Baton  fi^nge,  of  Mobile, 
and  Peiwacola,  that  we  did  not  consider  them  as  the 
accomplices  of  these  atrocities.  We  have  become  bound 
together  by  family  connexions  and  by  the  Itoods  of 
friendship.  Let  them  have  the  antrammelled  ei^oyment 
of  aU  the  property  they  may  own  on  the  soil  which  has 
become  the  land  of  freedom,  and  let  ns  share  with  them, 
like  brothera,  the  blessings  of  onr  new  position.** 

The  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans  presented  also  an  ad- 
dress  to  Laussat.  It  was  signed  by  M.  Fortier,  Cavalier 
8r^  Etienne  Bore,  Labatnt,  M.  Lefebvre,  G.  Debnys,  J. 
livaudais,  P.  Derbigny,  N.  Brontin,  St  Avid,  E.  Pleach^, 
L  Ghabot,  B.  Durel,  A.  Garidel,  F.  Blache,  S.  Hiriart, 
«!*.  B.  Yerret,  B.  Dncros,  and  many  others.  It  read 
thns : 

"Citizen  Prefect,— France  has  done  justice  to  ctir 
sentiments,  when  believing  in  the  unalterable  attachment 
we  have  preserved  for  her.  Hiirty-four  years  of  foreign 
(i^imnatiou  have  not  weakened  in  our  hearts  the  sacred 
love  of  country,  and  our  joy  in  returning  to  our  national 
flag  is  equal  in  intensity  to  the  grief  we  felt  when  we 
were  torcibly  separated  from  it.  Hapjjy  are  the  colonists 
of  Louisiana  who  have  lived  long  enough  to  see  their  re-  ^ 
union  to  France,  which  they  had  never  ceased  to  desire,  # 
and  which  now  satisfies  their  utmost  wishes ! 

"In  an  age  so  fruitful  in  astonishing  events,  it  is  un* 
<|:piestionable  that  some  have  occurred,  which  luo  greater, 
more  imposing  and  more  memorable,  but  perhaps  none 
offer  a  spectacle  as  interesting  and  as  affecting  as  that 
of  Tictdrioi*  and  triumphant  France  holdmg  out  a  pro** 
tecting  hand  to  her  (Mlar^  dOt  away,  of  M^  from  her 
,  in  consequence  of  the  weakness  and  prevarication  ^ 


vfflui 


# 


nt 


%. 


4 . 


4if> 


«' 


Al>Dl!Mi#  OiJ^'t1l^flEN!H^E^^ 


yiira. 


of  &  pisififtniiidus  govemmeiit,  ^d  cM^  ^feal  ^  # 
share  iffttoe^^itd  of  a  glofbiis  p€iaee,^wliiioiCRa3  tei^ 
nat^  iff  id?  brilKaiit  atmottB^  ^N  m»^  ^l^oidf  4flA 

terriblfe^rfe^titkit.  :■■'■-'  '>■■:  ■'•'' ''^'■■■'^^'.,:\    ''■''''-'•■'%':/  ■ 

titii  Freiicis  GovermrieBt,  by  staikingfy  attttetiliitti^tj^  its 
tieniBfieetit  viewisi/  Your  |H«^amatb^  ^  !|tiibi^tt<^]|ig 
^ti&M.  Wmj  has  'filed:  ^witih:  gifatittiae  for  iMf  i^ei^ 
care  of  B^nce.  TiiiB  blessings  of  otir^  tinion:  with^^fe 
French  Rej)^iW5*  begin  ^ready  to  be  MIj/  fl^e  fttrtn* 
nate  selection  of  the  patriotic  dHe^whom  shig  has  des|g< 
nated  to  govern  ns,atod\/hose  honorable  repntaticm  fe 
already  reached  the  colony;  the  dioice  tr6i9|»  she  sendk 
for  oiif  protection,  are  sure  pledgesf  0f  the  prosperitsy' 
whieh  she  has  in  s#6re  l&p  ns.'  Iff  rettiiii'\^e  tender  ier 
ouir  zeal,  obe^en^e  and  lovej  and  ^vte  swear  to^  jwove 
ourselves  ever  irortby  ^f  bet%  iffeoi^orated  witb  her. 
•  "Perhaps  France  would  attach  less  value  to  the 
homage  of  our  fidelity,  if  she  saw  us  relinquishing  with- 
out anyregfei  our  'allegiance  to  the  sovere^ii  who  has 
loaded  u3  with  favdr^,  during  aH  the  tim^  he  has  deigned 
over  tis.  Such  ctlipable  indififereffce  is  not  to  be  foutid 
in  our  hearts,  in  which  our  regret  at  oxxt  separating^  frormi 
him  ^occupies  as  much  space  as  our  joy  in  securing  the 
nationality  w*e  had  lost,  and  it  is  by  keeping  up  an 
eternal  tedbUecticm  of  his  favots,  that  we  intend  1»  show 
ourselves' worthy  of  the  parental  attachment  and  of  the 
benefits  which  we  expect  from  the  FreadiOovemmeat." 

Thesfr  twi)  addresses  are  very  remarkable' testimonials 
iff  favor  of  the  Spani^  admitliirtration  in  tiouisiaaa.  it 
is  Ittot  ofteff  ihat'deptfirting  power  k  greeted  Witk  siu^, 
hosanffas,  and  that  the  Hhh^se^  of  public  wprE^tp  is 
6fifer^toi^^«€*tiffgftfttt.=         -^        '  ', 

On  the  imhof  Apnl|  Bebaiitian  deGaso^alvo>dela 
Puert»  y  O'Fadil^  Ju^rquiis  de  Oasa  (Mvo,-  who,^  it  will 


% 


^' 


spjkpwa  !Q(mJtaBsi(xk3S^^  ^1 


bet  ]$^QUeQ||34^ii9di<<a9tod^^^^ 

of  Louieiiaiift  a|Q^ 

fpom  m&vaiaa^  he. and.  Sa3«^d^  v&a^Q|f  i.lfeeii  iiiade  joi&t 

oommissioiiers  to  dslksr  iiie  .{mviiice^^ .  SVaboo.    On 

^ '^^  of'  lilt^i^ey  isso^' «  prodaoSNWliei^S^ 

th^y  .aiKQ09n<^  ;!<«hfi-  intentipa  of  their  mT^f^gfi  i<>  sop* 

l^der  the   pravmce   toi  the   Frracli  Bepntflk^  and 

4$0la^  that  ibis  <^MigestyrteMi^ig  as  eYe(r  the  d^e 

ap^onfoF  Iji^iahibitanifea  ol'I^^^        and  4ef^l¥ti|giito 

Qo^itinae  to.  theta^  the.  js^mw^  piiotecAicm  whiich.'  tl^    had 

ei^oy«d,  had  det«rxain^d^  J  V      ' 

y  That  the  c^aaion  of  the;  colony  imd^islaBd  of  Kew 
%ieans  should  be  onthe  sait^t  teriB»  as  those  of  the 
oesH^n  made  ^hy  his  most  ClhiMaK  to  his  OathoHo 
Ji^esty ;   ondtha^  coBfl^qne^  on  /bot^ 

sid«9  of  the  ^mer .  St.  XKnus^  or  Missmippi^  shouM  con^ 

tinue  as  they  i^enjained  %':th«4^h'M^^^ 

treaty  of  jwace  concliided  >at  Paris  on  the  '10th  of 

December,  1763,  and  accordingly,  the  settlements  frofii 

tb|^,  J8ayo^  Manehae  !to  t^^^ 

the  dommionaof  Spain  andi those  of  itha  linked  States* 

shoi^ild  rem^  ji,  parfeof  ^^  mpniuHjhy  of  %»ahi  an 

apneifed^tP  thp  prpvpkJt«G|.W^8ft>iE^  .' •  :;i    vs 

:V  se?yie%jii^  wish^  ip jp^hiwh  nnder  hisfgo^tiii^ 
i^t).s^ight>proe<ied^to  ^y^na  or  fuiy  i^heC'part>oftt 
dp^inions,  unl^s  h^|>,refei^^g^fe^^  s^mce  41 

p£^e  l^ench  Bep^hUo,  ^})lah^  pm.  pe»D»tted  ^4i^p 
l^^H^y  i^tJ'Q^iQI^  pmYeQ^  his  km^M^depfOT^^ 

^ow|  ^' ;<^|Jk^,iWs^^ 

^c^d^malc^'^iu^^  . 

i?^hed  they  sh^raJd'iM^ 


*: 


*^.  ■■<■ 


J.  II 


i 


*  : 


^ 


t 


"W. 


592 


SPANISH  CO10IIi98IOKEBS'  EBOOLAMATlOir. 


"  They  declared  it  to  b^  the  etpeetation  of  th^  Kmg, 
their  master,  that,  from  the  sincere  Mendship  and  aIM- 
ance  wjiioh  existed  between  him  and  thd  IVench  Repub* 
lie,  orders  would  be  given  to  the  governors  and  other 
officers  employed  by  Prance  in  Lorasiana,  to  tli^  effect 
that  the  clergy  and  the  other  religious  institutions 
sl^ould  be  permitted  to  remain  in  the  discharge  of  their 
offices  within  their  respective  curacies  and  missions,  an% 
enjoy  their  former  emoluments,  privileges  and  exemp?' 
tions— that  the  tribunals  established  for  the  administrar 
tion  of  justice  should  be  allowed  to  ^ntinue  to  adminis- 
ter it  according  to  the  former  laws  and  usages  of  th€| 
province— the  inhabitants  maintained  in  the  peaceable 
possession  of  their  property,  and  all  grants  made  to 
them  by  the  former  governors  confirmed,  even  when 
not  ratified  by  the  King-^attd  finafiy,  that  the  French 
Gove^rnment  should  continue  to  the  people^  i^ouisiana 
the  favor  and  protection  they  had  enjoyed  nnder 
Spain.r  ^  i,; 

In  relation  to  the  effect  produced  by  hjs  amiral  and 
by  the  news  of  the  cession  of  Louisiana  by  Spidn  to 
France,  Laussat  wrote  to  Decr^s,  the  ministear  of  marine, 
a  confidential  despatehyin  which  he  sai^:  "My  arrival 
and  my  proclamation  excited  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
colonists  *  On  all  side^,  I  received  addresses  tp  %p 
First  Consul  containing  <iie  most  ardent  wished  for  the 
arrival  of  the  coming  expedition,  and  ;the  mo»t  energ0ti<?^^ 
expression  of  devoted  «itachment  to  Rranceif  I  kept^ 
up  as  much  as  1  could  those  sentimei^  which  were  of 
good  omen  for  the  futuje.  tlnfortunately^  everything* 
seems,  sticceasivelyy  to  hare  conspired  to  destroy  theni. 

*<(3}ovemor  Sahsedo  ^m  li^^  4^  nian  who  is  in  hh^ 
dotage.    His  son,  who  is  a  yi^iHig  officer  of  inlai^ry,  and 

*  LfttiMttt'ft  lie^tcfh  it  not  in  aMordcDce^  on  this  poitat,  with  otbidr  T«p<Mi.  - 
f  Letteo  coiifid«i|itu^  d«' LatuMt  A iKtwdt «»  ditf^uBO  Hetddor. 


■^ 


#■ 


nic- 


LATTBSAT'S  OlSSPATOfi  TO  HIS  OOYEBNVEKT. 


59a 


tmoie  brains  are  stp  Very  green,  ij9  the  true  governor 
u^der  his  father's  name. 

^  But  the  soul  of  the  goremment  is  a  certi^  Don 
Andres  !Lopez  de  Ariuesto,  a  sort  of  half  letti^red  fellow, 
who  has  grown  old  in  the  office  of  secretary  of  the 
government,  #hiGh  office  is  given  by  the  k^  of  Spain. 
Ihiis  man  litas  seen  in  turn  a  series  of  governors  filing  off 
before  him,  and  knows  in  all  their  details  the  irrupt 
praetices  jprevalent  in  the  colony  for  the  last  twenty 
years.  To  a  ^eat  deal  of  natural  arrogance  he  joins  an 
inekhaustjible  fund  of  ready  compliance  and  suppleness 
towards  his  superiors.  In  every  district  he  has  his  crea- 
tures abd  tools,  who  warmly  espouse  his  interests,  and 
who  have  verjr  good  cause  for  so  domg. 

"tte  judge,  who  is  called  here  the  auditor,  and  who 
is  the  governor's  right  arm  in  civil  matters,  is  a  cmming 
old  dog  who  sells  almost  publicly  his  decisions,  and  who 
is  the  sole,  authority  to  pass  judgment  over  the  most  im- 
poA^tant  civil  and  criminal  cases;  After  aU^  venality  is  a 
conunon  sin,  which  is  openly  committed*  The  intendant 
is  the  ojdy  cttfe  who  id  not  suspected  of  it. 

"  l^e  Mar<|iH3  deBbmoruelos,  Captain-General  of  Cuba, 
of  whose  gdveriattent  thi»  province  is  a  dependeiicy,  felt, 
no  doubt,  that  old  Saloedo  was  not  presentable  to  the 
Freiieh,  imd^old  not  be  permitted  to  act  alone  in  thd 
deKvery  of  thfe  colony  to  them.  But  ^vHiether  the  mea^ 
sure  dH^fi^^'with  him,  or  whether  it  e);nanat^d  from 
Ik^drid,  the  Marquis  de  CasaOalvo  aiTived  i^t  New 
Oi^eiiys-fiveweelffi  after  me,  with  the  tiHe  of  royal  c<6m- 
Hu^raoner,  afiiihoni»d  to  t^^  with  ^MgK^emor  in 

de^tering  oy#^e  colony  to  us.    Ilieii  it  #a8  that 
asrpef^  of  tltpl^H^lij^ 

and'^li'Me  nieee)  IN^      hiu^  manidd  tlie  son  and  heir 
of  il^t  generail^'atebdmiiMiie^'hM^^^t^^^  9i  cadet 

38 


h 


#, 


^ 


♦■ 


S*'* 


« 


'■.fi 


..^,?:^ 


594        LAUSSATS  DESPAtCH  TO  HIS  flOVBBNMENT. 


« 


■iNii" 


or  page,  in  1Y69,  and  was  eiglitfeen  years  old  when  he 
witnessed  the  execution  of  the  sfx  Frenchmen  whdm 
O'Reilly  put  to  death  without  necessity  and  from  sheer 
cruelty,  in  compliance  with  an  erring  policy,  fuxd  to  grar 
tify  his  personal  ambition.  ^ 

"The  same  Marquis  de  Oasa  Oalvo  vas,  in  ^anua^^, 
iY93,  and  during  the  following  months,  in  command  of 
Fort  Dauphin  at  St.  Domingo/ and  was  at 'the  head  of 
his  troops  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  when  the  blacks, 
led  by  Jean  Fran9ois,  massacred  seventy-seven  defence- 
less Frenchmen,  who  were  relying  on  the  faith  of  treaties. 
The  colonists  of  St.  Domingo  still  speak  of  this  fact  with 
feelings  of  horror;  and  the  .English  newspapers,  which 
misspelt  the  name  of  the  Marquis  and  called  him  Oara- 
cpla,  related  thb  event,  at  the  time,  with  indignation. 

"  Four  years  ago,  the  office  of  Governor  of  Lbuisiana 
having  become  vacant  by  the  death  of  the  incumbent, 
'the  Captain-G^eneral  of  th?  Island  of  Cuba  sent  to  this 
colony  ^iie  Marquis  de  Casa  Oalvo  to  take  the  military 
command  of  it  ad  interim.  This  officer  exercised  those 
functions  eighteen  months,  probably  on  account  of  the 
stp.te  cf  war  tiben  existing.  He  left  in  the  province  the 
reputation  of  a  man  of  violent  temper^  who  hated  the 
French.  By  wh&t'  fatality  is  this  >ry  sam6  individnal, 
pi'ecitoly  on  an  occasion  of  this  kind,  introsted  witb  the 
mission  of  offering  them  the  welcon^e  to  %hich  they  are 
er  titled,  of  delivering  to  them  a  colony  whieh  th^  Spa- 
niards therein  living  and  those  iii  Cuba  regret  to  part 
with,  and  of  settling  y^  xm  so  mad*y  interestiiig  and 
important  qnestions  in  which  we  shaU  have  to,  doubt  his 
go6d  difi^j6(9iteis.';^,^ .  '  ^'':;, '■r:  /\''  "--y-'/ 

'VHardly  had  the  3^arq#^fet  too^ln  this  p^ 
hJS^  summoned  alt  the  Mittary  officers  (and  j^a^  to 
the  inilitift  system  there  is  flcarcdy  an  in^ak^tai^^t^y 
consequence  whatever^  who  is  not  repicrted  a  iniKtaify  offi- 


% 


XAUSPAT's  DEsi^A'TOH  T6  HIS  GOiuBNMBHT.         695 

cer)  to  come  to  his  lodgiugj  atid  declai*e  hy  yea  or  Tiay^ 
wh^tte  fev  intended  to  remain  in  the  service  of,  the 
B[jng  ot  %)ain.  Redae  to'  observe,  Citizen  Minister,  that 
the  fortutife  And  the  pelisions  of  many  of  them  depended 
altogether  on  the  mature  of  their  answer.  The  Marquisr^ 
W(6nt  So  fitar  teto  eicaict  a  declaration  in  the  afflrimrntivc 
frotii  two  companies  <tf  men  of  color  in  New  Orleans, 
which  Vere  composed  of  all  the  mechanics  that  city  pos- 
sesses. Two  of  ttose  mulattoes  complained  to  me  of 
their  iayihg  been  detained  twenty^four  hours  in  prison, 
to  force  them  to  ttter  the  /(ito^  yea  which  was  desired 
<^;ihehi."  ','^' ■■■'■■■  ;^''-V  .   ^    . 

'  ;*^T'o  Terre  anx  B^ti&,  where  there  exists  a  precions 
class  of  small  farmers,  who  were  transported  thither  from 
the  Canary  Hands,  a  prie^  has  been  sent,  wh  >  induced 
those  siinple-mitided  men  to  ptotiiise  that  they  woiild. 
follow  the  Spaniards. 

"Odei^s  hiive  been  given  to  the  commandants  at  the 
several  postSj  to  subject  the  inhabitants  and  the  curates 
to  the  sMiie  ordeiS.     The  whole  clergy  had  to  go 

through  it.     r 

^^Arid  %M^  ei^diid^  does  not  arrive !  And  I  see 
li^se  ^ings  without  ctai^Jig  to  tak^  exceptio^i^  for  fiaar 
of  iSakikg  tdiim  w^e  1  - 

**%e  Spanish  fiuthorities  have  shown  themselves  ex- 
eee&giy  redei'vedi  inore  captious,  and  even  almost 
h^^i^fey  td#^ds  ine.  Our  co#es|k>i^dence  jgyadnally 
tre<^^  sharp,  lit  fiipst  about  trifles^  and  on  account  <tf 
their  li-miamere4j^r^^  which  inisensibly  icqu'  ^ed 

a*  more  decMfeid  character/  In  the  begim^,  the  men 
in  (KflScei  ibjdji^  Spaiiiards,  i^ext  fOl:  theb  adherente^ 
i^a^iii8t^VuI|i^  tfi® 

^^i^^Mffie^^^ijd^^  ^ear 

ifiiei  ai0  now;  to  SojK»,  ^^  ahnost  aa 

i  (Mrne.    To  fevca^y  <^e  of  itty  denwmds  or  applieationa 


y 


^: 


'94*'i 


^f 


w 


M- 


% 


^   # 


596       LAI 


j-  ,  ....■-..Uf.. .  „'    .    > 


the  Governmei^t  has  an  eyasi?e  answer  ready  prepavod. 
It  shunB,  isolates  and  watches  me.  It  takes  mnb^rage  at 
the  least  of  my  steps  or  proceedings,  and  even  at  my 
language,  however  insignificant  it  may  be.  .  It  isf  afraid 
of  complying  with  my  plainest  requests.,  Firmness  and 
dighity  are  all  that  I  have  to  oppose  to  thfir  prejudices 
and  unreasonableness.  But,  frequently,  j  ami  .obliged  to 
keep  pent  up  within  my  breast  my,  feelinggof ,  vexation, 
because  the  Spanish  authorities  migh^  take,  offence  at 
them  and  reyenge  themselves,  without  my  being  abk  to 
prevent  it,  pn  the  Mends  of  the  .French. 

"The  Attakapas  are  peopled  with  French  families 
who  could  not  refrain  from  expjfessing  their  joy  atonr 
Vetum,  A  native  of  Bordeaux^;  named  Bt.  Julion,  who 
is  an  honest  planter  and  much  esteemed,  had  the  impru- 
dence to  head  some  of  his  letters,  with  the  word  Citizen. 
Thereupon^  a  great  conspiracy  was  suspected,  and  the 
Spanish^Goyemment  ordered  this  individual  to  be  made 
a  prisoner  and  conducted  hWe.  i|i  the  meantime,  xyhilst 
he  was  airiiig  JiimseH  on  his  gallery  at  night,  two  shots 
were  fired  at  him|  one  of  which  Mlled  his  wife.^  He 
defended  himself ;  and  his  i^ailant8,bi:ea]dng  six  of  his 
ribs,  left  hjm  lying  'lown. apparently  dead-  What  fal- 
lowed ?  ffe  was  aocueed  ofhemgoirp^^Miid  (M  msae- 
^Uywiifili^  Ttm^dmedMsow^wifei  a^d  who  1M  wlmi- 
taa^jpwIfM  in  adding  0pndM0^  The  command- 
ant of  tfci^t.pqsli,  J  I,  De  Blanc,  a  imBtKif'  o^filce?  M  of 
honor,  apd  fiie  deip^daiit  of  BtJ)®?^  the  founder  of 
I^^tcl4t0ch00,  w^  in  Hew  Orleai»j  when  that  oeeurrenee 
tQ(^ pijac^;  i1^ iw heis  w»It knoi«pi1|o^hi^  to 

Irfn^i^i^a^  d^opri^d  |of  ^i^^ 


*  ThM'*ttur,  'wMi  otb<er  CAwe^  fftve  irifNB  ,t^  so  serioot  a  foi^  betvMBT  the 
iafluJntisl  fos^ea  of  be  Clo4«V])«  |a«a<i>^^^^  tibureaieD<>d| 

to.];>rod<dt$e  ft  ^ril  witf  ia  that  !£iMi{ci  ud  H  beoft     of  euMeiea^JiDpdiiiMiee  ito 
compel  GoTetnpF  O^lwjr^  '      f 


% 


f 


liAtT88Ar8  DlSCOirrtBNT. 


697 


to  remain  ai  'New  Orleans  ntttil-  fhrther  notice.  In  liis 
place  was  put  a  M.  Daralde,  ft  tool  of  iihe  Secretaiy  of 
the  Government,  who  maikes  a  gr^at  pai^e  of  his  exclu- 
Bive  and  blind  zeal  fdr  Spaiii,  and  who,  to  prove  his  sin- 
cerity^  is  the  declared  persecutor  of  idl  those  >)(rho  in  his 
district  hftve  any  sympathies  for  the  Frensdt;  -  i*eople 
shdoit  at  each  .other,  and  civil  war  has  began.  The  au- 
thorities here  conceal  these  facts  with  sedulous  dare,  Aiid 
are  anxiiems  to  keep  me  in  complete  ignorance  of  what 
is  going  on. 

'*The  planters  who  stiU  preserve  their  attachment  for 
uSj  inquired  of  me  secretly^  whether  they  must  give 
it  up*  -;  '  ■    ..■>■..,:■•.■ 

**That  wretched  Burthe*  has,  also,  too  long  contri^ 
buted  *  by  his  indiscreiet  and  intemperate  language '  U^- 
cause  the  arrival  x>f  om*  troops  to  be  apprehended,  an^, 
by  his  out1:»*6aks  against  me^  has  assisted  in  di^rediting 
the  infliience  of  our  governmenc^.    ^ 

*^^eAnglo-Americaaas  have  spread  the  rumor  that* 
there  wiH  be  oo;  ces^ioii^  or  that,  should  there  be  one,  it 
would  only  be  as  a  preliminary  to  a  second  cession  in 
f3avai*i^theXMtedBtate8.^^^^^^  ^    '  J^  *  * 

«      ■„";■:.%« r^::;/-v',;..  .f#  ;■      •    ♦  ■,         ♦  ■; ;  :--^*  ♦    .,  ' '^ '*■ -.; 

H  At  all  ev^nt^  it  behooves  ^  honor  of  1^  f^Wfnoh 
nation  to '  takie^  <  cfure  thaj;^ii6ne'  shrill  suffer  for  hUVing  - 
shown  attachment  to  I^ranco.^' 

!i!be^i]]rhumor  displayed  mthi^de^atch  was  the 
resulit  off  tlie  Awkward'  poaitbn  in  w!^6h  I^^ 
himsel£  '{hc^^t  iSj  that  he  had  ^^sccyvered  ihe^round 
on  tipMeJht  %e  srtopd  to  be  besfet  iHtli^^ffiwmlli^j^^^ 
seepbd  to  f^cken ;  up(Hi  .him  ad  he  attempt^  to.ptish 
his  ipray  th»>ii^  th^  The^p«niar^«i^-  their  li^hfe^ 
retttei  h#  no  <^ii80  td  b#  4i8p^>«i^ 


■€' 


W 


1 


'.k  ;■,.! 


■'■:A 


598        QUABR£I£   BETWEEN  B0STHE  AlTD  LAUSSAT. 

among  the  native  of  Lonisiaiia^  and  ^ven  among  tlie 
French)  some  of  ^rhom  feared  the  doctrines  of  which  he 
was  supposed  to  be  the  representative,  whilst  others 
thought  that  he  was  not  sufficiently  progressive.*  Be- 
side^  A  furious  conflict  of  authority  had  sprung  up 
between  him  and  the  Adjutant-General  Burthe^and  was 
carried  on  with  such  animosity  as  tp  betray  both  parties 
into  disgraceful  acts  and  eicpressions^  For  instance,  the 
Prefect  Laussat,  having  been  invited  to  dinner  by  the 
Marquis  de  Casa  Calvo,  and  finding,  on  entering  the 
saloon  of  the  Marquis,  that  Burthe  was  one  of  the 
guests,  retired  abruptly,  much  to  the  astonishment  and 
mortification  of  the  punctilious  Spaniard,  who  even  took 
some  offence  at  the  frenchman's  unceremonious  retreat. 
In  illustration  of  General  Casa  Galvo's  habits,  turn  of 
mind,  and  extreme  comtesy,  it  may  not  be  improper  to 
relate  here  the  following  anecdote.  One  day  when,  in 
company  with  his  private  .*eoretiuy,  l|e  was  sauntering 
in  the  strefste  of  New  Orleans,  a  negro  having  bowed  to 
him,  he  took  off  his  hat  with  as  much  respectful  courtesy 
as  if  h^  had  been  saluting  an  equal.  Being  under  the 
impression  that  this  had  been  done  from  sheer, abpence 
of  mind,  his  secretary  remarked  with  a  smile;  *' Your 
BxceUency  did  not  observe  that  it  was  a  negro.^-^-"  On 
the  contrary.  Sir,"  was  the  jceply^  "  but  did  you  thijijLk  I 


*  Aoertdft  indiVidttAl,  Banned  IVetM^  #h6  WMlldtorioatforijhlBtai&d't:::i:;I(s- 
tion  of  his  Nd  repifibUoAiiunfi,  esUod  Qii^.J^WMtt^  ««]b^r(  Vl^^e  f^t;:Mtek 
tiiftt  itaiUstipiiaTy  hi  tfae  ooi<^ny.    Frettfi  bWst  inWtWmfeet^Vajpkrt^^^     w{<h 
jdt  the  <k>iifldeB<iiii  dmV«d  llr6m  iiiii  f*iti^  in  ih^  d^trii&«  tb«^  a^  aM  bortt  to 

fi!ttteraixe<>nten9ft.of  a^piaU^^aii^a^^^  ''CJitiziBp, 

I  cpm«i  to  t^^iio^^^at  ^e^  tbe  jaoobin»6Jr  iTew:  0T2lera^  jba^^  rQ8olT«d,"J|(o.  i||0., 
— "  wlib  k  ntis  foolr  «k«la!in^  Ltraaoat;  Uterraptitig  t^e  iptnider  «a^1iM>ilwg 
at.  hit  <4eoi^w^  P^i^pt^^^ 

r<)p|yin]j^  Dai^^i^qui^tl^goi tip  ^i;<|«&,bif  <«at,  v^  to sopje 

attendahWin  tke  next  roct^  and  citjunn  iV«ti^  Wafi  muob  horrified  atih'e  expe- 
djtfon  with  wldfi^  he  V<u  i^^oii^M^^^ 
Frtach  Bepnblie.    Tliiii  gare  gr<eat  oftaiije^  to  the  progteaafs<^ 


TSli 


t 


■* 


i^- 


,* 


«■ 


NEW8  or  THE  OB38ION  TO  THE  UinTED  STATES.   599 

would  permit  myself  to  be  excelled  in  politeness  by  a 
negroP 

On  tbd  38th  of  July,  Lanss^it  wrote  to  the  French 
Gbvetnment,  that  the  immor  of  a  cession'  of  Louisiana  to 
thelJhitod  States  was  still  gaining  ground  in  the  colony, 
but  thitt  he  had  treated  it  as  a  oalumnicns  rejport.  But 
hiffdly  had  his  despatch  been  sealed  and  sent,  when,  by 
the  arrival  of  a  vessel  from  Bordeaux,  he  discovered  that 
the  supposed  calumny  was  an :  authentic  and  undeniable 
truth.  On  the  6th  of  June,  the  First  Consul  had  ap- 
pointed Laussat  Commissioner  on  the  part  of  France,  to 
recdiv*  possession  of  the  province  of  Louisiana  and 
deliver  it  to  the  Commissioners  to  be  appointed  on  be? 
half  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  hi  consequence  of  the  orders 
received,  Gasa  Calvo,  Salcedoj  &iid  Laussat^  accompanied 
by  a  large  retinue  of  the  cleigy  and  of  all  the  <avil  and 
military  officers  in  the  employ  of  France  and  Spain^  and 
of  many  other  persoiil  of  distinction,  met  Iq  the  City  , 
Hi^,  where  Laussat  exhibited  to  the  Spanish  Comnus- 
sioners  an  order  from  the  iKing  of  Spain  for  the  delivery 
of 'Ijhe  colony,  and  hi«  credentials  from  the  French 
Government  to  receive  it.  Whereupon,  the  k^ys  of 
Hew  Oi4e^i8  were  handed  to  Laussat ;  and  Salcedo  and 
C'a^a  Calvo  declared  that  from  this  moment,  according 
to  the  powers  vested  in  them,  they  put  the  French  Com- 
missioner in  possession  of  Louisiana  and  ita  dependencies, 
in  all  their  extent,  such  as  they  were, 4?eded  by  F^nce.to 
Bpiun,  and  such  as  they  remsdn^  under  ^e  successive 
treat^iesmtNde  between  his  Cathode  l^esty  and  o^er 
Powers.  Th^j  forthoy  declared  that^they  absolved  from 
th^ :o$th  c^^fidelity^anddllej^ance  to  thi^  drown  of  Bpain, 
stioh  <>f  his  Ci^thoHc  Misgesty's  subjects  in  Louisiana  as 
ini^  cbsose  to  Mve  nnder  the  aul^icMrity  df  the  French 
Republic.    A..riNiord^iii»^pi!tfide  o^  tl^ese  ^proceedings  in 


#■ 


m 


•%• 


000 


P068BBSION  OIVEN  TO  THE  FBKNCIL 


French  and  SpanUb,*  and  the  three  commissiouera  walked 
to  tne  main  balcony,  when  the  Spanish  flag  was  saluted 
by  a  disciuarge  of  artillery  on  ita  descent  f^pom  a  pole 
erected  on  the  public  sqnare  in  front  of  the  CityOSall, 
and  that  of  the  French  Republic  greeted  in.  the  s^me 
manner  on  its  ascent.  The  square  was  ocicupied  by  |  the 
Spanish  troops  and  some  of  the  militia  of  the  colony. 
It  was  remarked  that  tle^  militia  had  mustered  up  wi^ 
difBculty,  and  did  not  exc^d  one  hundred  and  fif^y  men. 
It  was  the  indication  of  an  unfavorable  £9elipg,  w^ioh 
had  been  daily  gaining  strength)  and  which  Loossat 
attributed  in  his  despatches  to  the  intrigues  of  the  Span- 
ish authorities.  Although  the  weather  had  been  tem- 
pestuous in  the  preceding  night  and  in  the  mornings  and 
continued  to  be  threatening,  this  crowd  round  the  public 
square  was  immense,  and  Med  not  only  the  streets,  but 
also  the  windows,  and  even  the  very  tops  of  the  neigh- 
boring houses* 
On  the  same  day,  Laussat  issu^  this  prbdamation : 

'^LoinBiANi4N&: 

"  The  mission  which  brought  Me  among  you  across  the 
sea,  through  a  distismce  of  seven  thousand  and  "ftve  htm? 
dred  miles,  that  mission  on  which  I  had  lon^  tested  so 
many  fond  hopes,  and  so  many  ardent  wishes  for  yonr 
happiness,  is  now  totally  chained;  and  th^  one  with 
which  I  am  now  charjged,  less  gtAtil^g,  but  i(^  eqii^y 
flattering  to  me,  offers  me  one  B0tdp<^  of  consolatioii-^ 
which  lyings  from  the  xeflefetion;  that  it  will,  iii  Its 
results,  be  mor^  adrtthtageotis  to -yofi^ 


"The  OonmiiBSioners  of  h»  Catholic 


m  eon- 


fbnmty  with  the  powers  ia&d  di^#  whiifth  they^^^l^ 
have  respectively  I'eceived^'hSbVe  just  deUvei^  M^  !pibS' 


*»      ,     >% 

*  ii. 


■■* 


lai^sat's  pkoola^cation. 


601 


^jiMmoa  of  the  province;  Yoa  flee  tUjCi  flog  uf  tbo  Fi'endi 
ti$lepabli<>  now  displayed,  and  yon  heav  the  rejieated  do- 
.to^lkiions  of  her  guns,  annonncmg'to  yoU)  to^y,  on  all 
siaW|  the  Tetnm  ci  Erenck  dominfiititfn.  It^ill  be  for 
an  instant  only,  Louisiaoians,  and  I  am  o^  tl\e  eve  of 
tranafeitring  the  posBeaakm  OiT  this  edony  to  th6 
Gomn^ionen  of  the  United  States.  Th^  ate  near  at 
haac^I  expect  them  soon. 

'*  The  approaching  sti'pggles  of  a  war  iK^gim  under  the 
most  sanguinary  and  terrible  auspici^s,  ami  threatening 
the  salety  of  the  four  quarters  of  the  world)  had  induced 
the  J^renoh  l^overnment  to  tuioi  its  attention  towards  ^ 
Louisiana^  and  to  reflect  on  her  destinies.  C^usidei^ft*. 
tions  of  prudence  fuid  humanity^  connectmg  themselvea' 
.  with  those  of  a  more  vasit  and  durable  polleyT^w<nthy, 
in  one  word,  of  the  man  whose  genius  weighs,  at  this  very 
hour,  in  its  scales^  the  &tes,  of  so  many  great /nations^ 
have  given  ^  new  direction  to  the  benefiee;ti  i|itentioni| 
of  iVance  towai'ds  £i0uiMana.  She  has  ceded  it  to  the^^ 
United  Statea  of  America. 

''  Preserve  thus,  Jx>uisianianSf  the  precious  pledge  of     rA 
the  ^i^ri^d^hip  wHeh  cannot  Jill^v^^  |rom  di^  to 

day,  between  the  two  r^pnb]^^.^iv^  whicbr  nvnst  iso 
pQW<$l^y  cQit|i]^iit^  to  their.fQO^^  § 

/V'!Che  articIeJE^,  Q^the^^^ 
ypur  attentm.    t% '  W^  •  *  ^^  i|M  # 


ceM  temtorm  ^^  he 


♦  .'  -; 


'^^t 


■?» 


A 


B 


'^' 


# 


609^ 


LAUSSAT^S  PROOLAMAXfON. 


'^Thtis  are  yon,  LouisiftniauSf  aaddefily  invested  with 
the  rights  and  privileges  appertaining  toaf^eOonsd- 
tution  and  Government,  secnred  and  gaaranteed  by  the 
force  of  arms,  cemented  by  treaties,  and  tested  by  tima 
and  expeiience.  '■  .      v 

**  You  will  be  incorporated  with-  a  nation  already 
numerous  and  powerful,  renowned  besides  for  its  indus- 
try, its  patriotism,  and  the  degree  of  civilization  and 
knowledge  it  possesses,  and  which  by  its  rapid  progress 
seems  destined  to  the  most  brilliant  rank  that  a  people 
ever  enjoyed  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

"  It  haa  been  happily  blessed  with  such  a  position, 
that  its  successes  and  its  splendor  cannot,  at  least  for  a 
long  time,  interfere  with  its  felicity. 

"  However  benevolent  and  pure  may  be  the  intentions 
of  a  mother  country,  you  must  be  aware  that  an  im- 
mense distance  between  the  two  secures  impunity  to 
oppression -and  exactions,  and  prevents  the  correction  of 
abuses.  The  iacility  and  the  certitude  of  concealing  theiii 
have  even  a  frequent  tendency  to  corrupt  the  man  who, 
at  first,  looked  upon  thiem  with  aversion  and  fear.        - 

"From  this  day  forth,  you  cease  to  be  exposed  to  this 
fatal  and  dangerous  disadvantage.        '*  ^^  ^■ 

"By  the  nature  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,  and  of  the  privil^^es  upon  the  enjoyment  of  #hich 
you  immediately  enter,  you  will  have,  even  under  li^ro- 
visionai  govenlEiient,  pOtpular  rulers,  wliose  acts  you  wiU 
be  at  liberty  to  censure^  or  to  protest  agidnst  with  im- 
punity, and  who  will  W  j)ermaneji(^  inr  need  of  youi? 
esteem,  your  si^lffirages  ^laadt  your  affiectioti. 

"  The  public  af&irs  anid  interests,  far  d^om  being  ia4 
ter^oted  to  your  cdiMdc^'ttt^)^  your  own  a£Sfo 

and  ifitere^  dn  whkii  I2b|  opmic^  of  wise  aiui^Stnptilv 
tial  m^n  will  beistlie  to  exercise,  in  the^  long  rin,  a  pr!|- 
ponderating  inMbod)  and.  to  which  y^u  codid  not  e^ 


«* 


%' 


■■»•  -"^ 


LAUSaAt'S  PBOOLAMATIOA. 


'J' 


remaiu  indifferent  withpnt  ozpofling  yourselves  to  bitter 
repentance. 

**The  time  will  soon  come  when  yon  will  establish  for 
yonrselves  a  form  of  government,  whioh,  although  res- 
pectmg  the  sacred  principles  consecrated  in  the  social 
pact  of  the  Federal  Union,  will  be  adapted  to  your  man- 
ners, yonr  usages,  yonr  climate,  your  soil  and  yoar  pecu- 
liar localities.  '      •  H^  ; 

"It  will  not  be  long  before  yon  shall  feel  the  advan- 
tages of  an  upright,  impartial,  and  incorruptible  adminis- 
tration of  justice,  in  which  the  invariable  forms  and  the 
publicity  of  judicial  proceedings,  together  with  the  res- 
traints carefully  imposed  over  an  arbitrary  application 
of  the  laws,  will  co-operate  with  the  moral  and  national 
ohnracter  of  the  Judges  and  Jurors,  in  affording  to  the 
citizens  the  most  effec^ye  security  for  their  Dersons  and 
property. 

^'  The  principles  and  legislation  of  the  American  people, 
the  encouragements  which  they  have  given  to  the  in- 
terests of  agriculture  and  commerce,  and  the  progress 
If  hlch  they  have  made  in  those  two  departments  of  ini- 
dnstry,  are  well  known  to  you,  Louisianians,  particularly 
from  the  many  advantages  you  have  derived  from  them 
Ibr  some  years  past. 

"There  is  not  and  there  cannot  be  a  met|;op(^tan 
Gk>vemment,  which  will  not  e^tabh^  a  laaove&t  Imek- 
di^iive  col<mial  monopoly.  On  the  contrary^lrom  the 
United  States  you  huve  to  expect  a  bonndless  fre^^m  of 
exportation,  and  only  such  duti^  chi  your  import^  as  niay 
bo  r^nired  by  your  public  wants  an4  the  t^ecessity  of 
protectmg  your  home  industry.  Th^  T0sult  of  ni^timitcd 
CQtvipetition>wiU  be  to  canse  yon  to  buy  ehei^qf^  wMlst 
setlling  deai^iaod  your  co€^ry  wlQ^b^opf  «pl  immi^e 
warehouse  or  place  of  de]:^Nni^  affording  yofU  costless 
The  Nile;  6f  AmemAf  tiie  Miflsissa|ipi^  which 


t. 


■¥■' 


*  # 


t 


t, 


# 


■W 


x^il^i|i%^  F»0(a:«/kJC43^^ 


i' 


flo^Sj  &ot  l^rOfi^  f^o^ed  dee^Pts^oi  sii|i4¥%«*  t^P^^ 
the  most  fxteii9ivean^.tlie  most  ferine  plains,  pf  then^^v 
woild,  TV&sKi»oii  sec  it8l>o^>m\da^^ 
si^  bdbngbg  to  aU  l^e  QJitioQt  !^  Ihe  e^^ 
ipg  aitrl^ift  quays  of  afiotlter  ^A3exandrif^  -  ^r    r 

^^  Among  them  your  eyea  #m  I  hope^  lK)ui8ianiaa9|^ 
al^iritys  disti%aii3h  wi^  com^aceacy  /^  Ir^M^  ftagj 
and  your  hearts  will  niever  cease  to  rejoice  at  the.  sighi 
of  it^  glorious  iMB.    This  we  firmly  hope^    J  solemi^i 
profess  it  here  in  the  name  c^my  eounlry  and  govern-* 
msai^'rH^.M:4\\---f/-v'^-'^  ''.v  ;■;'-•;  =''■ '-v.' ,'  •'. ,  .  ■.-  '■  ■■'.,  ."■■■    ■■■•  ■^: 
«  Bonapartfe/in  s%wilatmg-by  the  ?|4fc  Article  ^the^ 
treaty  of  eeasKHii^hwt  tiie  Irettch  shall  h»  permitte^f 
dura^  twelve  yean?,  ^  trade  la  1^  province  without  ; 
payi%  highfrdkties.  than  Ilie  ditizens  of  the  United' 
St^s,  and  e«ac%  on  the  siime>footing,  ihad,  as  <Mie>,©f 
his  principal  lanis,  that  of  ^vii^  to  the  ancient  rel«ti<Mi» 
exiMang  between  the  IVench0£lK«^iana^^w^^ 
of  Europe  si^ldent  opportunity  and  time,  for  renewing 
strengthening  a&d  perpetualdn^  l^emseliim;    A  new 
bd^  4pf  uniojt  will  be  l&nned  .b^jwe^t  ns  fip^ani  one 
conMnent  to  the  otheiv^ihe  Bioresatasfocto^ 
froMt^  fEwt^^ittt  at  wil  be^.enfei3»ly^  founded jon  a  cois^; 
stant  reciprocity  of  iSentiments,  services  and  adva^tagest* 
Yoiir  children,  Iicwiisiamans,^ win  be  our  c^dren^and 
out  cKldreii  will  be  youjs;    Ixm  li^  send  younS  to 
peffeetih^  education  ^aodthek  talents  ain^g  u%  lotd 
we  wii/0^d^QittiBt0  you^ 
cootfmlang  ftheiF  idMre^  t6>  y^  labors  ft^  i^l^i«»^a^ 

assist*  yoit%  w^ttiipig  ^^-^^^ 

reluirfiattt^tribiifWfc';^'-^        ■.'■•  ■^■'^:^:/--..'"^^):..>r^'\;    ■'.->'-)■'. ^z-'. 

M#  has  be^fgi^Ktl^nng  tocm^^ 
what  afc^ng^v^^aCfc**"!!**^^^ 
in  order  to  soothe  yo«R  ccJaa^i^ts  of  beii^  Jo^^fefflt 
and  t^e  «ffi3c^30iii^ 


■  * 


It  -t 


#  inirr'tmc^kjasATi^iff  ov  !|BB  €OLoimi 


ictf^ihe  coitntry  o£  yi>tiir  tmoeftt^  so  naiii?f  of 

yoix  to  ^3ipres8.    ip'ranqe  and,  her  €byeiiiment  will  >|ieftr 
of .  H  wilk  gralitode  aod  ivit^^  B' 

]«eeMQBi  -sha  iias  conlerred  iipoa  yoti  the^  ixtost  ©mineiit 
iti^tbe  moiM^iz^^  ^v  ,. 

**The  J^B^  ;Ss]^  the  &es^^^v^m  to 

moidasm^  times  tho  ey^t^pe  of'  ^ol^tiolarily  emftiioipatmg 
a.  coiooy,  m  imita^i^  of  the  i^bei^^  p^ 
towaris  i^iose  eolofiies^^n^ose  eiQ^teii^e  we  loim  to  i^ciill 
to:  our  memoiy^  aaoo^^tatmg  one  of  theinQcit  brOliant 
pf^Ws  <3f  the  dS^of  imti<|{iit^  l^is  toc^iao^  aM  fbr 
1^tftetl2re,^a£VenehInaIIlmd  aJi)^^  n^a^in 

aay  part  of  the  ti^^^rl^  wx^otit  a  miittiai  f^a^mjic^te^^er 
emotioBy  i^ti  mthoi^  0x<^i^^   the  aisclioj^li^  j^ppel- 
iaticwii  o#  >  hw^«E»5i!  Ji^  t^r;w^>rd  hereii^(i«r       the 
only  One  sii£l<Seiitl5'  eiqn^essive  to  convey  ^^lideqii^ 
idea  of  their  eternal  Mendshlpaii^  revipropiy^xelianc^nF 

>  On  that  same  day  (dOthl^oyeniber)f/^e!^|8C^ 
aeveral'  decrees  in  relalloit  to  the  prgsmizMi^  of  4^ 
goveinltt^t  of  the  province*.  |l«#arle^  w^  a|p)i^ted, 
provisi<»iaQyy  AdM#|ip|or-€^e:Fid^  t^  X^^ 
Oustom<4on3e^«ndl^"31e%%rre^^      Eoi^theBpj^h 
CaHldcv  were  J»ibstitn^ 

a  Itoidpsi  €oiFMftl  eomppae^-  ^  tea  nwfi^b>e J|*    fi|y 
^er,  the  foUoWiii^v  list ^^^0^^ 

pml^llhed  r  J^ime  l^m^^b }fyi^^i^Bmre  jierfjXgny, 
Secretary;  Beirta^han^^i^^ 
j^y|j^t|  :Jibattdi^Sj  ^^^^  iPi^^ 
|E)c»r(3e%i|[Ma^^^^  laio^  ^All^^^  l^iiea^  imd  J^ 
I#a#h|^^^i^^il^  ol  the^i^aldipf^  Xii!^|9l^ 

t4^  the  gt»d(?C^t^^  of  the  nSlJJiMa 

g|^|W  Oi^at%l^|^ %e  c<»npaibB  feH*£Qed  hy  the 


•^1.- 


4,1- 


■'M 


# 


#• 


'W"      m. 


""-■ 


i 


'  ^ 


m 

6# 


M 


,^wiTsty6ikWi^  r  6ii' '  licB!  sPAWitett  tROO^. 


friBeitien  of  color,  and  all  its  other  officers  were 
mteaitmed.  It  is  trt^e  that  no  alfusrity  was  shown  to 
accept  thes^  commissions  j  bnt  <!he  French  Preset  waa 
unjust  at  the  time,  wh^n;hiB^  supposed  ^i^t  it  w*«^  mowing 
to  the  intrigues  of  th#  Bpauiiirds.  On  ii^i  contrary, 
sSveral  natives,  of  Sp^ish  descent,  consented  to  h®  i^m- 
mdfesio&ed  as  <;^cers  ^f  the  niiMtia,  and  «tnong  others, 
Charles  Anastiiaa  Grayarre,*  tfae  jjitoidsoii  of  the  Royal 
Comptroller,  ot  Contedori  who  came  to  tie  coloky  with 
IJlloa  in  1T66.  Althot^  it  may  %e  thai  he  was  in- 
fluenced by  Ms  iSatherin^iaw,  E^nneiiBor^,  the  ne%^ 
Mayot^  of  Jfew  Grteasbs,  nevertheless  it  %  evident  thai 
he  would  not  have  pursued  this  course,  if  it  had  he^ , 
cbntfary  to  the  wishes  of  the  Spanish  authoriti^  as 
his  feelings  must  have  been  enlisted  on  their  side^  aaid 
as  he  was  then  in  officef  under  the  appointment  of'^e 
•lOng'df Spain.  -:-■•'■..  ■.>•■■-,..•■=  ':;•  -U  ■.:^■  ■;'•:'•"* 
"  By  §  special  prodamation^the  BlUck  Code  given  #y 
Louis  XV.  to  the  province,  excepting  such  parts'  of  it 
as  were  inconsistent  with  ^h^CcmstMiti^  Laws  of 

the  Wttited  States;  was  declared  to  be  in  ibrcei^^  ^  ,  ;  « 
*^Soon  after,"  says  Motiette,  in  his  History  of  the  Val? 
ley  ^f  the  Mississippi,  "  ^e  Spanish  ^c^s  were  wi<3>- 
drawfi  and  the  military  posts  Were  evact^ted.  Iiji  *he 
city  and  snbittbs  of  New  Orleans  there  were  four  imlitai^ 
posts  ot^f&rts,  r^mipished  by  the  Spanish  troops^whi^ 
might  be  exposed  ^to^^  the  depi-edatjons,  And  equally  so  to 
4he  imlawM  occupant  di  disalfected  peisons  and  noc' 
tumal  disturbers  of  the  peace.  The  troofis  of  the  United 
States,  designed  for  the  occupation  of  theisie  forts,  no* 
having  aawed  iHthm  the  UmlfcB  of  ihe^d^  proviuib^ 
many  were  apprehe^iv^^o^  outrage  aad  vi6lenc#temii 
lawless  fmddMjifife«t^  popt^bwe^  composed  of  ^^l^M^ 


*  Th«  Author'B  &th«r. 
4  Mattln's  HlBtoryoflioaidana;  vol.  a.,  p.  HI. 


f  Qt&eiA  d«  coBtudoria. 


.  1* 


It 


..'    % 


'# 


't^ 


WJTWSRMWJuL IGF  THE  t?A2aSH  TCBOOfSl, 

'10$sBt.rii  Bpiomc^yMmikamiStiB^  of  ciicte 

>^}io4n|e!ilteS  the  i^tjy^^^^^a^    other  ^l^i^^rly  per90iis'«nei 

diespejradoed  of  aJd  natioM^  who,  pjc^^aded  froj?^  4he>^<r«-  • 

$ti<^^i^^  »  6taadii%ciKrfDy,^i^   he  jwjoinipted  1^  the 

4i<^  of  pillage  to  fik'o  the  city,  or  to  comfxiit  effcher  acts 

-of^'violence.r>>:  '■  :.-:^r;,  ^^-i;;;;;'-  ''■:'-i^'.-- '■  ■.    ■^^■•' 

**To  guard -agiUmtaay  such  attempt^^ditovspreserre 

<mns  |8ik}biated  themselves^^w  hj^t§^d%rto 

he  .placed  mdev  the  coinmaiid  of  l^miel  Giark, .,  Jr.,  Jkhe 
Ameiie^  Oocaiil.  Th^  fefttt  miister  was  at  Davis^s 
I'Ope-walk  on  Canal  8tj  where  they  were  jotoed  b|?  a 
namberof  Jjatriotic yoqag Greol® E^^  who  con- 

tihtiiBd  to  siirre  until  the  h*fcttaiipn  was  finally  dischaiged. 
fiia^ii^  CMfgaiiized,  they  placed  themselVea  nndei;  thfir 
,  edibmander,  ftaid  pirofeeedid  to  th^^  head^n^pt^s  of  the 
Colonial  ]?refect,  to  whom  they  made  a  formal  tender  of 
their  services  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  or;der  in  the 
city,  and  for  the  occupancy  of  the  forts  Bntil  the  arrival 
of  ike  American  Commissionfrs  and  troops.  The  bat- 
talion* continued  ta  increase  by  the  voluntary  em*plment  ^ 
of  Americans  and  French  Creoles,  until  the  wWleaumber 
exceeded  three  hundred  men.  The  Am^cans  were  ; 
ohiefiy  captains  and  mates  of  vessels,,  supercargoe:,  ,^t- 
chants,  clerks,  and  seamen  bel<«jging  to  vessels  in  port 
The  French,  by  their  zeal,  vigilance,  and  patriotism  dur- 
ing their  time  of  service,  proved  themselves  worthy  of 
American  citizenship.    Tlieir  services  were.gladly:  accept- 


!S« 


» 


'  *  Tb«  bttttali^ft-i^  irolaiit«flm  yraa  formed  at  the  ioi^tenee  4lf  th«  foUow{tif;.g8n-. 
^meiv  %i»n  raBt4«Q|  in  New  Orleans:  6«ot|^  Manin.  tinM  parish  judge  of  St> 
Landry,  Colond  I^evbcn  Kemper,  (Jeorge  King,  Qeorge  Fewman,  Benjamin  Mbr- 
,^n,  His&A  Oatl^  AmttiMn  emavi,  iDoctor  Willi«m  Floodi  sutoe^a  distingnisbed 
pbyiieisn  of  Ne^  Orlean8>  Mauasel  White,  ainoe  i>,wealthjniM»w>hant  atnd  planter 
and  a  state  senator,  and  Woodson  Wren,  who  subsequently  settled  in  :be  State 
of  ^Miasissippi,  Where  h%  was  lately  postmaster  at  Natohet— JTonrtfo's  VtUkj/  of 
rt*  jr&tfMit/)/)!,  toL  I,  p.  «6i: 


m 


% 


%, 


^^' 


m 


m 


608       -^jsmm^n  msesmn  ar  what  ukvUs^ted, 

edi,  and  detachments  from  their  aumberari^/^ip©  det^ilM 
upoa  regol^r  ioumxjf  duty  in  patroMing  the  cil^  by  daty 
and 'by- might."    ::-'.-;\;v     '     :-.,■•■./■''■' 

!Fhe  £»UowmgcOBfidkntiid  despatch  addressed  by  Laos- 
sat  to  Ms  Govci'nment,  on  the  coupse  he  deemed  proper 
to  pursue  on  that  occasion,  and  dated  on  ^e  lOihof 
December,  wiU  not  be)  read  withottt  interest 
y^*  Citizen  Minister,  I  deferred  writing  to  yonr  Eitcel- 
lency  by  the  last  mail^  in  the  hope  t^t  the  eom^sion- 
ers  of  the  United  States  were  ^  to  arrive  he»e  yesterday, 
and  that  the  same  despatch  ^ould  have^nv%ed  to  you 
the  information  of  our  taking  and  delivafing  poesesslon, 
in  the  name  of  the  French  Republic,  without  itoy  intlr^ 
v^ing  delays.    It  seems,  however,  that  the  arrive:  of  ^ 
the  Americans  is  post|^ned  until  Hf^  week.   J  cannot, 
therefore,  and  will  not  put  oft  any  longer,  giving  you  ^n 

accountof  the  actual  state  of  things.  *  * 

.*:■        ■  *  ■♦  ;■    ■•  -*.  ^  '';.■*'■      >.♦■■■.,--';♦ 

*'0n  the^3id  of  No «^eteiber,  General  Wiiianson,  one 
of  the  commissioners  :^r1%e  TO  States,  citaae  to  my 
house  at  six  o'clock  I&  the  evening.  The  other  commis- 
sioner  is  Wv  G*  C.  Claiborne,  Govfernor  of  the  t'drritory 
of  Mississippi. 

"  Wilkinson  was  returning  frcin  the  frontiers  cf  Flo- 
rida, and  Wfis  on  his  way  to  join  his  colleague  at^Fort 
Adams,  near  the  dividing  line  between  the  territory  of 
Mlssiissippd  and  the  district  of  Baton  Bouff&z  We  had 
Just  had  a  conference  of  two  hours  in  rerarence  to  the 
course  to  be  ptiiBued  towards  the  Spanish  commissioners 
in  aU  possible^  contkigencies,  when,  on  breaking  up  the 
interview  and  stepping  out  of  niy  rooiii^  I  met  the  FrencL 
officer,  dtiji^  Landak,  Who  had  been  sent  to.  put  me  in 
possession  of  the  ori^nal  d6cument$.  eontaining  the  in- 
structions of  our  Government  for.  taking  ppesessii^of 
Louisiana,  and  delivering  it  over  to  the  Uiiited  States.    , 


t 


*v. 


# 


;..  LAUJJ8AT*S  VBBSIOir  OJ-   WHAT  HAPPENED,,         609 

^*^  I  did  not  heaitatei  and  i  resolved  to  accelerate  that 
evwit;  fo?,  you  have  seen  in  iiy  pj-eceding  despatches 
that  I  suspected  the  good  tdll  of  the  Spaniards,  and  it  was 
prudenlv  lW)t  to  giv€  them  itime  to  know  tie  system  of 
opposition  which  the  Minister  of  his  Catholic  Majesty  at 
Washington  had  openly  and  impetuously  pursued  in 
protestihg  against  the  cession,  because  it  was  to  lie 
fe'iredti\at  the  Spanish  commissioners  might  in  their 
tu;^n  b6  t<»mi)ited  t^Jmitate  him. 

•*0n  the  morning  of  tht^  next  day,  I  urged  General 
Wilkinson  to  hapten  his  departure  and  to  go  and  wait 
for  farther  information  from  m6  at  the  head  of  his 
troops,  whose  numbers  he  ttiight  increase  or  diminish 
aciBordii^ly. 

*fM6reover,  I  immediately  busied  myself  with  pre^ 

^panng^e  gppound  around  me. 

^  •  "  ^^  ^*  P^®'  -''  secured  a  chief  for  the  militia, 
and!  was  lucky  JTideed  in  laying  my  hands  On  an  officer 
who  had  served  twenty-four  years,  who  was  not  person- 
ally well  disposed  towards  th#  Marquis  de  Casa  Calvo, 
on  account  of  his  having  been  dismissed  from  active 
service  cm  unfavorable  terms,  and  ivho  enj6yed  a^n  excel- 
lent reputation  and  mn^h  popularity  in  the  c<^tiy.' 
5e  18^  besides,  the  owner  of  considerable  piropel^  in  the 
vicanitir  of  the  city,  and  his  name  is  Deville  de  Gkmtin 
Bellechasse.  Once  sure  of  him,  I  availed  myself  of  his 
aid  in  all  the  prmcipal  and  subordinate  military  iriea^ 

ijur0»  which  I  had  to  conceive  and  execute. 

"I  thoitght  at  the  same  time  of  securing,  without  loss 
of  tim^^  aii,inaiK|8ing  support  in  the  civH  dipartikent  6f 
the  gpvf^naw^-^d  I  sele^jted  for  Mayor  of  the  cit^ 
M,  I^ia«?  BoTjg,  a  native  of  l^uisiana,  <tf  a  distuiguisH- 
ed  linnly,  fowaer^^^^  France,  one  of  th« 

•  m  ''Moii^u^Wir«ir  W^  privilMedoompiMiiM  in  the  Kiog's  hooMhoId 
tKK^  «tJA  piMU  bttviag^ljie  i»iit«'lji»ptain,  anA  every  (tJaptaito  the  rank  oif* 

#  89 


11, 


♦ 


'  #?'.■ 


■w 


-M 


■•&-. 


\m 


t 


\\ 


'  ''M0i 


610 


THE  MBST  MAXOB  OF  NEW  ORLKAHS. 


largest  aad  most  skiifbl  planters  of  the  proyince,  aii|  a 
gentlemaiJ  renowned  fof  W  |)atnoti9ni  and  for  a  ^ 
racter  of  nndeviating  independ^pe.    ,1  made  a  powerful, 
appeal  to  him  in  the  name  of,hi8  cpui^try,  whose  mteresta 
reqmred  his  services,  and  j  had  the  satisf^tipn  to  win 

him  over.  yt 

"As  we  were  in  the  giinding  season  for  the  sugar 
cane,  there  could  not  have  been  a  more  unpropitioiM 
time,  to  draw  the  planters  away  fi|9i  their  fields  and 
the  superinteiidence  of  tlieir  negroel  , ,  _^  .  _ 
"After  M.  Bor6,  and  throtigh  his  influence,  I  secured 
the  services  of  some  ^f  the  most  disMnguished  among 
the  colonists.  I  toe*:  ev€^iy  care  to  join  with  them  in 
authority  some  of  the  most  respectable  inhabitants  of 
Ijhe  city,  whioliad  a  capaci^  far^^usiness,  who  ;^re 
used  to  it,  who  were  knowh  as  such,  and,  who  had,  a 
knowledge  of  the  three  langaages  sppk^n  v;  the  colony-t- 
tke  French,  English  and  Spanish.    ,    ..^  , 

"It  was  with  a  true  fe-eling  of  joy  that  I  put  m 
authority  M.  Viller^,  the  S05  of  one  of  the  mo#  interest- 
ing  of  O'Reilly's  victims,  himself  much  loyed  m  the 
C(lmy,  and  held  in  great  reputejbr  his  probity,  his  good 
conduct  and  Ws  merit.    I  thus  discharged  ^s^cpnd  debt 

on  the  part  of  "Frattce.  .        i.  .  ^ 

'*It  was  essential  for  me  >  have, ,  unmediagy,  a 
niunicipality  animated  with  aproper  dispQsi1ion,pi^^ 
ened,  active  ^dJ  respectable.  Under  ,^e  ^anish 
^  domination,  the  munidpal  council  <cabjld(0  was  .an 
^'  iiisignifloant  iiistitution-r-a  mere  show  or  parade,  J^k^g 
real  power,^gener^  composed,  of  heteix^eneoi^  ele- 
ments, of  devoted  tools,  of  beings  mostly  disgrac^  and 
bespattered  with  mud*    the  Governor,  individually, 

lieu^utGeneral^  Tq  enter  1^9  wrps  it  was  neoes«ry  to  prove  gentle 
^n  Oie  ewjttftiey.  th«t  body  was  genewJly  comjHjsed  jrf  ren.wtaWe  4l««ei» 


# 


,# 


,* 


■4 


t? 


# 


/ 


tiATJBSAT^  tmsPARATlom. 


H 


"p 


ei?l 


#83  t*te  ^mij-^the  laW-^^etribmial  of  justice — the 
pdice^-^^e  administriltidii  of  the  cQuntry. 

*'  It  was  therefore  an  indispensable  obligation  for  «i^; 
considering  the  oiwtimstanced  in  which  1  might  be 
placed  aild  the  total  want  lb  which  I  was  of  every  thing, 
tb  create  immediately  a  moral  power  which,  a«  soon  as 
f  should  L:.jnme  the  reins  of  the  government,  might  of 
itself  become  an  irresistible  political  lever. 

"I  labored  witheait  intermission  to  obtain  that  result, 
*  en  the  Saturday,  Sunday,  and  Monday  Wiiich  preceded 
the cese»iun.*'  "^y'^'  ,■;*/«■  v'^*-  -   _  ;  •- 

*■  jj.  sh^U  always  remember  with  pleasure  thiat,  onTues- 
day  evening,  at  nine  o'clock,*  I  had  succeeded  in  gather- 
ib^%and  me  what  Ij6uisiana  possesses  of  most  respect- 
able and  distm^uishefl,  witjiin  thirty  nnles,  in  point  of 
reputiit::^,  *'4rtue,  talent,  influence  and  wealth.  The 
gentleinen  thus  assembled'  were  the  first  to  whom,  ac- 
cbrdin^  to  your  despatches,  €itiszen  Minister,  and  your 
instrttctions,  I  made  known  the  treaty  of  cession,  and  the 
views  of  the  Gbvernment'  in/negotiating  it.  I  expMned 
tb  them  th«  successive  changes  of  domination  which 
wotfld  be  the  sudden*  result 'of  that  cession,  and  the  first 
of  which  w<5uld  take  place  dn  the  neit  day.  F  Md  out 
before  them  the  plan  on  which  I  intended  to  proceed, 
comtiisnted  on  the  difficulties  which  might  be  in  the  way, 
unfolded  what  I  expected  from  their  co-operation,  and 
di^tiissed  the  powerful  niotives  which  ought  to  induce 
th^  to  give  me  theii*  as?ib.-ance;  ^ 

"  Pke  d$y  before,  I  had  delivered  youi*  letter  of  intro- 
ductioi^  t<y  the  Spanish  CommissioneriS,  and  I  had  declared 
to  thei^i  thitt  mj  inteiition  waa  to  take  possesion  two 

^S  after,  that  is,  on  Wednesdiiy,  80th  of  November. 


BttllAmpat  wu  »n  exmtdttle  And  pr«jttdi««d man,  looliiiig  at  ev'  y  thing l^au* 

ia|i  vith  tbe  infla^ied  dye  of  paaaioD,  .       ^. 

W  f  The  beasion  -vaa  effected  on  Wedi^esday,  the  80^  of  November. 


^ 


% 


f 


1 

•'I  inL 

In 


I;  lifH 


tIS'; 


i  &i 


■■it. 


■•».* 


^- 


* 


612 


A 


LAU69AT^8  EMl^ABBASSSqSKT. 


■PN 


•,#t^ 


1  had  ootniaunicf^ted  to  them  the  proc^s-yerbal,  sueh  as 
;t  was  suba^i^ently  signed,  andst^jhaa  I  send  a  copy  of 
to  your  iicceUency. 

"  In  answer,  the  first  Itog  which  rwr^  said  to  me  by 
the  Spanish  Commissioners  was :  What  are  the  forces 
with  which  you  will  take  possession ? — ^I  replied:  wit^ 
the  militia  and  the  French  who  are  in  New  Orleans.— As 
this  is  but  a  mere  formality,  observed  the  Spanish  Com- 
missioners, our  troops  mirj^ht  assist  ygu,  a,iid  Ynight  con- 
tinue in  your  service  until  the  arrival  of  the  Americans. 
We  shall  thus  contribute  witfipleasur©|o  help  you,  con- 
sidering the  union  which  exists  between  the  two  najtions. 
—This  would  be  contrary  to  my  instructions,  and  I  can  do 
very  well  without  it.— But  the  officers  of  the  militia  are 
mostly,  and  especially  the  Colonel  w^o  commands  th^m, 
commissioned  and  paid  by  the  King  of  Spidn. — ^I  will 
recommission  them  instantly.^  AH  that  I  ask  of  you  is 
to  draw  the  Bwlitia  together,  and  to  keep  them  tmder 
arms  at  the  moment  when  you  will  deliver  the  colony 
to  me.r— We  have  received  no  orders  different  from  the 
first,  and  therefore  the  colony  shall'be  delivered  to  you.— 
The  Marqms  de  Somoruellos  wrote  tp  me,  a  few  days  ago, 
that  he  had  lately  renewed  to  you  the  orders4o  do  so.r^ 
This  evening,  on6  of  us  will  call  on  you,  and  we  shall 
come  to  some  final  understanding  as  to  the  ^yle  of  the 
proc^s-verbal  aiid  as  to  the  Retails  of  the  ceremony. 

"At  nine  o'clock,  the  Marquis  de  Casa  CiHro  called  at 
;,  my  house  with  the  Secretary  of  the  (Grovernment,  Ar- 
menU     Some  insigmficant  es^ressions  were  altered  in 
tKf  i'tJ-verbsd,andwe  ejwnuned  the  Spanish  trans- 

latioi4,iu  which  we  concurred.    We  Easily  came  to  wi 
agreei^nent  as  to  what  was  a  mere  inatter  of  etiquette 
The  Marquis  renewed  the  pr<q)osition,  or  the  equivalWt 
of  it^  whiSi  he  had  made  in  the  morning.    I  dec&ied  it 
peremptorily,  as  I  had  done  already.    Ho  observed  that 


...*■ 


t- 


■:t  % 


'i-M- 


y*> 


,♦ 


% 


LATTSSAT  AKD  THE  DISAFFECTED  MILITIA.  615 

the  Oabildo  was  composed  of  officers  appointed  by  his 
Catholic  M^esty^  but  that,  on  the  eve  of  passing  under 
the  domination  of  the  United  States  of  Americaj  they 
would  willingly,  in  concert  with  the  06inmi8sioners  of 
their  Sovereign,  give  such  assistance  as  circumstances 
might  require.  I  answered  that  I  would  establish  a  new 
municipal  Jbody:  ' 

*'  On  Tuesday,  I  understood  froih  various  soitfces  that 
the  militia  coiupanii^s  had  been  operated  upon,  and  that 
Jhey  would,  not  answer  the  call  when  summoned  to  the 
ceremony  of  the  next  day.         -^ 

Mlpr  the  last  few  days,  I  had  beeti  on  the  best  footing  of 
intelligen^j  at  the  request  of  «the  American  Government, 
with  Mr.  Baniel  Clark,  their  Consul,  and  a  rich  planter 
and'merchanti  who  knows  perfectly  this  country,  in 
which  he  has  resided  twenty  years,  who  is  extremely 
•^|zealous  in  favor  of  the  cession,  and  whose  penetration 
and  talents  for  intrigue  are  carried  to  a  ri»re  degree  of 
excellence.  r 

t 

."  'Vyiiilst  I  was  countftTRcting,  through'  M.  de  Belle- 
chasse  and  some  other  nailitary  gentlemen,  the  practiees 
whidi  were  carried  on  among  the  militia,  aiid  Which 
were  but  the  eontinuation  of  those  I  ha4  witnessed  with- 
out being  able  to  chec^  them,  Mr.  Clark  was  Ib^ming.  a  « 
numergjus  company  of  American  volunteers,  and,  through 
my  fends,  I  caused  ta  be  drummed  up  about  a  hundred 
of  the  IVenchmen  who  haVe  lately  come  here;  and 
most  of  whom  had  served  in  our  amaies  during  the 
revoluto.; 

"  I  undoubtedly  knew  that  there  wouM  be  no  impe-i 
diment  to  the  executioh  of  ^e  treaty^  but  it  was  neees- 
sary  to  prevent  its  becoming  a  cftuse  of  annoyance  fo* 
Prance  in  a  country  peopled  \^h  Frenchmen,  who,  in 
reaii^  love  her^  pasM^aa^  It  was  necessai^  to 
avoid ihait the Coinmissionetof the  iFr^ch Governinent 


^ 


W: 


# 


#*f      ..#. 


f 


-m 


% 


014 


■1^ 


w 


X7SBATS  DISmUST  OF  TIFE  8PANUBDS. 


^'  be  laughed  at,  on  aooonnt  of  the  state  of  embarrassment 
and  isolfttdon  in  which  he  might  be  placed.  It  was 
necessary  to  prevent  the  Americans  and  the  Europeans 
from  turning  into  a  joke  our  mann.  7  of  taldng  possession. 
It  was  necessary  not  to  run  the  risk  of  some  disturbs 
ances,  and  not  to  be  compelled  perhaps  to  acfjoum  the 
ceremony,  and  to  make  an  appeal  to  the  troops  of 
the  United  States.     * 

"  This  is,  Citizen  Minister,  what  was  the  conitant  basis 
of  all  my  steps  and  acts. 

"I  will  not  relata  to  you  the  street  talk  and.  fibs 
which  were  cuiTent  on  Tuesday,  during  the  whole  day. 

"  On  Wednesday  morning,  jgi  10  o'elock,  Mi  Fortier^ 
who  commanded  the  mi|ltia,  with  the  grade  of  Oolonel, 
who  was  commissioned  and  paid  as  such  by  the  King 
of  Spain,  and  who,  besides,  was  the  intimate,  friend  of 
the  Marquis  de  Oasa  Oalvc^  came- on  the  part  of  the 
Marquis,  to  inform  me  of  tjie  difficulties  which  were  felt 
in  the  attempt  to  draw  the  militia  together,  in  »  number 
sufficiently  large  to  be  respectable.  He  pi-op^^^d  to 
me,  in  the  nse^k  of  the  Marquis,  to  have  recourse,  either 
to  the  Spanish  troops,  or  to  the  few  militia  that  Qould 
-"*■  .      be  collected,  as  q^tJb(Ma/FiM.    This  was  hp  expression. 

^''  After  the  mUitIa  had  been  assembled^rather  poorly 

than  otherwise^  the  Marquis  ha^  said  to  .them:  "We 

have  mustered  you  up  to  take  possession  of  the  pi*o^ce 

in  the  ijipie  of  the  Frenck  Republic.    It  is  for  you  to 

-$  determine  if  you  wish  to  serve  her  for  fifteen  days. 

"My  answer  to  the  Marquis's  niessage  was  short: 
^  'lAsmre  the  Mar^n^imd:  %  *  ^^t'^i^o^mpmw^  of 
the  mS/itia  a/re  not^  at  12  o^cM^y  ^a^  up  mderanfiB^ 
in,  aJpe^fteetaUe  mtmbe^yMdbey  ^  Ofdere  cf  the  French 
Me^^uhUe,.  the  J$^^^%^pdf  rnyadf  tmU  ljSi/(f  the  ^am 
cmd  responaibiUty  whereitovghttohe^th^ 
.  recuihed  mfy.,fpt$y^         yea/r  io  he  the  dnipe  of  $!0i 


% 


# 


m 


^• 


;-  ■  A 


%    *im\^^ 


'"^ 


# 


lAVe»ATB  EXOITBMKNT. 


# 


615 


cMcTs  play;  that  Framce  does  not  Hand  in  need^  on 
this  oooasion^af  the  aimiUaanea  he  qfere ;  ihat^  in  the 
absence  of  the  niecme  wUdh  he  thmke  are  the  only  onee 
on  which  lom  rety^  I  have  e^jere  i/n,  readineMy  and  that 
my  toMngpoeaeeeim  of  the  province  vyiU  he  (ie^^ 
amd  aecompUehed  viihout  dday^  with  efftoaoy  md  with 
digni^.  Fleaee  fwrther  to  inform  the  Ma/rqm^  that^  as 
we  have  ai/reqdy  had  togetlm  am  imteroofUflr^  of  six 
inmth^y  I  had  flattered  mysdf  that  he  had  had  ampHe  time 

to  know  TIMp 

"  I  i-edoulbl^d,  however,  my  effisrte  to  have,  in  case  of 
u6ed,  a  spontaneous  armed  force  that  might  be  ready  to 
sholv  itself  simultaneously. 

**  It  was  not  long  before  I  ii/'as  informed,  that  the 
Spanish  officers  were  earnestly  striving  to  draw  together 
at  least  two  or  three  compani^  of  militia,  and  particu- 
larly that  of  the  grenadiers. 

"  A|  twelve  o'clock,  I  wetflj  with  a  considerable  escort 
of  Frenchmen,  to  the  City  Hall,  where  I  found  the 
Spanish  Comtiiissioners.  They  delivered  to  me  the 
province  in  the  form  atid  msiuier  described  in  the 
procds-%erbal  hereto  annexed. 


1^ 


% 


« 


*' As  soou  819  the  Frtoch  flag  IM  been  hoisted  up,  and 
the  Spanish  Conmiissioners  had  withdrawn,  I  placed 
myself  in  the  centre  of  the  militia  com<^anies,  and  I  pre- 
■sentod  to  them  JC  Bellechasse  as  their  Colonel  and 
Commander!  I  also  caused  to  be  pi^oidaimed  in  their 
preseUce  the  composition  df  the  styt 

^'  There  #ere  about  one  hundred  and  !%■  militiarmen 
present,  among  whom  were  abdut  sixty  grena^ers. 
"*^  I  returned  to  the  Ci^ffittt6eMMish.Midorgani4d 
jjie  Muiiicipai  body. 
'    «thave  ptiblted afroclam^^ 
^6t  to  displease  &  SpanSirds,  or  the^  Aimericans. 


J*',... 


A'-- 


■t.^ 


016 


« 


REVIEW  OF  LAU8»AT^8  o6uB8fi. 


"  Posseasion  of  tho  province  having  been  taken,  it  was 
proper  that  it  should  be  solemnly  auAenticated  and  irre- 
vocably fixed.    Hence  the  multiplicity  of  my  acts. 

"  From  the  moment  of  the  cession,  Cria  Oalvo  has  be- 
haved towards  me  with  eoDqvdsite  poUteneas,^ 

Such  were  Laussat's  comments  on  whathe  had  thought 
and  done,  and  on  what  he  believed  he  had  seen,  or  had 
been  correctly  infonned  of.  But  it  seems,  from  his  own 
version  of  the  facts,  as  related  in  this  despatch,  that  if 
there  was  any  indecent  display  of  ill  temper,  hasty 
conclusions,  undignified  and  offensive  suspicions,  as 
well  as  of  arrogant  language,  it  was  not  on  the  side  of 
his  adversaries ;  that  if  there  was,  as  he  complains,  a 
good  deal  of  child's  play,  he  had  a  handsome  share  in  it ; 
and  that  his  vision  must  have  been  singularly  dimmed 
by  his  apprehensions  of  the  supposed  hostile  dispositions 
of  the  Spaniards,  not  to  have  discovered,  sooner  than 
after  the  cession,  the  uniformity  of  Oasa  Oalvo's  exqumte 
jpoUteness, 

Whilst  all  these  mutations  had  been  going  on,  or  had 
been  ii^  the  act  of  preparation,  Laussat  and  Casa  Galvo 
had  been  vieing  in  givmg  splendid  entertainments  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Ncjw  Orleans,  and  the  repfbliijan  Prefect 
had  struggled  not  to  yield  in  pomp  and  display  to  the 
proud  and  wealthy  nobleman.  It  was  no  doubt  with 
them  a  matter  of  policy,  as  well  as  of  taste  or  pride. 
A  French  author,*  who  witnessed  those  festivities,  says: 
II"  M.  Laussat  exhibited  in  brilliant  entertaimnfents,  em- 
bellished by  the  graces  of  his  affable  and  beautiful  wife, 
that  fascinating  Segance  which  seems  to  be  one  of  the 
alftributes  of  the  iSrench  character.  Theiouisianian  ladies, 
who  looked  upon  her  as  a  model  of  taste,  appeared  at 
those  entertainments  with  a  ni^gBifice^^  whi<ih  wafi  a  jjsst 

J*  Voysgw  ,^iu  ript^rieur  do  la  Jidiitriftne  par  C  0.  Robin.  ^  '  - 


;# 


*• 


*^^ 


^ 


^ 


i,1» 


SPLENDID  nSTIVITlBB. 


1* 


ei7 


cause  of  astonishment  in  snch  a  colony,  and  which  might 
have  been  sncceasfully  compared  with  any  efforts  of  tibat 
sort  even  in  the  principal  cities  of  France.  The  Loni- 
sianian  ladies,  who  may  justly  be  luiid  to  be  remarkable 
for  their  habitual  gravity,  are  generally  tall  and  exqui- 
sitely shaped ;  the  alabaster  whiteness  of  their  complex- 
ioU)  which  was  admirably  set  off  by  their  light  dresses, 
adorned  with  flowers  and  rich  embroidery,  gave  a  fairy- 
like appearance  to  these  fest^  ities.  The  last  one,  par- 
ticularly, astonished  me  by  its  magnificence.  After  tea 
and  the  concert  were  over,  the  dancing  was  interrupted 
at  midnight,  and  the  guests  went  down  to  >  saloon — 
where,  on  a  table  laid  for  sixty  to  ei^^rl-  persons, 
arose,  on  the  top  of  rocks,  the  tem»^le  of  Good  F  Hh 
surrounded  with  columns,  and  sum  oui  ted  by  a  dome, 
under  which  was  placed  the  allegorical  statue  of  the 
goddess.  But,  farther  on,  beyond  that  room,  one  was 
attracted  by  the  flood  of  light  which  burst  from  an 
immense  pavilion,  in  the  shape  of  a  gallery.  There, 
forty  or  fifty  tables,  covered  with  a  variety  of  dishes, 
were^  spread  for  the  accommodation  of  four  or  five  hun- 
dred guests,  who  grouped  themselves  round  them  in 
small  d^tached.parties. 

"The  tendency  of  thef^  festivities  was,  no  doijibt^  to 
spread  the  taste  for  j^ei:j  ;e  and  luxury  in  a  colony 
which,  being  in  its  nascent  state,  still  needs  a  great  deal 
of  economy  and  labor ,  but,  nevertheless,  these  enters, 
taannientsj  under  the  circumstances  in  which  they  were 
given,  wiare  the  result  of  a  useful  and  enlightened  policy, 
because  they  strengthened  the  09mmon  customs  and 
manners  which  qonnected  us  and  the  cbloniEts,  causing 
them  to  cherish  what  is  French,  and  impressing  them' 
with  a  proper  sense  of  the  grandeur  of  the  mother 
cotmtiy." 

In  the  meantime,  as  apprehen^ons  were  entertained 


i^ 


».  •  • 


'>. 


' .' . 


m 


618    GLAJBO^ITE  ASrb  WILKmS0l!T^S  JOINT  COMMISSION. 


'% 


* 


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"by  tlie'G^ovenmieiit  of  the  United  States  that  diffiotillies 
might  arise  in  relation  to  thd^tiession,  in  cbnseqaence  of 
the  disJ)osition  inaiiifested  a  few  years  "before  by  the 
Coloniitd  Grovfernment  of  Lotiisianft  to  Iretain  possession 
of  ithe  posts  situated  abbye  the  31st  degree,  and  in  con- 
sequence of  the  ettel-getic  pi*0tests  wcently  made  tit 
Washington  by  the  Spanish  Minister,  in  the  name  of  hi^ 
Catholic  Majesty,  the  President*  had  ordered  a  part  of 
the  militia  of  the  States  of  Ohio,  Kentucky^  and  Tennes- 
see, to  be  held  in  ireadiness  to  march  at  a  mOmentV 
warning.  Considerable  forces  had  been  assembled  at 
Fort  Adams,  and  five  hundred  TtiniiesseatBS  had  <;ome 
as  far  as  Natchez,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Do- 
gherty.  Claiboriie,  the  GrOvernor  of  Mfesi8sippi,had  oi^ 
dered  a  volunteer  company  of  horse  of  that  territory  to 
be  prepared  to  mm'ch  with  himou  the  10th  of  Decem- 
ber.  ,■  ."^  .'■  ,-\,  ^ 

"  Claiborne  met  at  Fort  A^ams,  Orir  hiff  w^y  to  New 
"Orleans,  General  WUkiittSon,  who  was  coming  from  that 
city,  where  he  had  had  with  LausSat  the  interview  I 
have  mentioned.  The  troops  who  were  at  this  post 
were  set  in  motion  in  (»)mpany  with  the  volunte^,  and, 
oh  the  17th  of  December,  the  two  American  commis- 
sioners encamped  within  two  miles  of  New  Orleans. 
On  the  day  Mlowing,  they  despatched  an  officer. jto 
Laussat,  to  inqrdfe  whether  he  was  disposed  to  receive 
their  visit;  Lail9sa.t  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and 
*^^  immediately  sent  in  his  carrii^e  an  officer  ,.named  "Vi- 
nache)  with  BeUechasSe,  the  Colonel  in  command  of  the 
militia,  and  1^  French  citizen  named  Blanque,  to  meet 
Claiborne  and  '\^^^ilkinSoti.  The  comjnissioners  came  to 
Latkssat^s  hOiise  with  an  escort  of  l^irt^  of  the  Missis- 
sippi horse  Volunteers,  and,  oti  their  approadi,  were 
sauted  with  jaineteoii  guns.    The  next  day,  at  Half  past 


*  Mtttin's  Hiatory  of  Looisiaiu!,  vol.  iL,  p.  1^. 


# 


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m 


OLAIBOBNB  Ain>  WltSaiNSOW'S  JOINT  0OHMISSiq|r.  619 

tea  in  the  mMkig^  Liw^airt  weB*^^  lidlseback  ta  thei^ 
camp  ^ith.  an  esccai;^  oi  da^y^  me»/iEuid'  thxis^^  returned 
offieially ^he  ibnnal  visit  he  had  ret^iyed;  k--^, 
^  On  Toesd^  tiie^^Otb  ^  Seeiefelier,^e  Prefecfr 
ordered  all  the  militia  companies  to  be-<feimn>np  under 
arms,^  on  the  puhJb  square  iu  ironfe  6f  thei  City  HaH 
The  crowd  of  spectatcas  was  immense,  and*  the  finest 
weiEither  fiivored  the  curiosity  (^  the  puH^  : 
^-The  comBai8sioner&  of  the  United  States  lirltite^  at 
the  gates  of  the  city  with  their  troops,  and,  before 
entering,  were  reconnoitred  fujcoi^ng  to  miUtfcry  u&figes, 
by  a  company  of  the  militia  grenadiers/ 

The  American  troops,  on  entering  the  city,  were  greeted 
with  a  salute  of  twenty-one  j^tns  from  the  forts,  and  forik^ 
ed  on  the  opposite  sideof  the  square,  facinjg  the  militia* 

At  the  City  HaUj  the  Ootninissioners  of  the  United 
States  eifhibited  their  powers  to  LauSsat.  The  creden- 
tials were  publicly  read,  next  the  treaty  of  cea^ion,  the 
powers  of  the  French  .Commissioner^*  and  ftttaliy  the 
procfe-verbaL  The  Prefect  proclaimed  the  delivery  of 
the  province  to  the  United  States,  handed  l^e  keyso£ 
the  cit^  to  Gli^bomef  and;  declared  that  he  absolved 
from  their  allegiance  to  the  French  lElepublic  su^a  of 
the  inhabitants  as  might  choose  to  p^  under  the  new 
domination.  "Claiborne  now  rose,"  says  Judge  Hartin 
in  his  History  of  liouisidna,  "  and  olfei^  to  the  people 
his  congratulations  on  the  ©vent  whichB^vocftbly  fixe^ 
their  political  existence,  ^nd  no  Icmger  lefbit  open  to  the 
caprices  of  chance;  He  assured  them  that  the  tJnited 
State*  received  them  as  brothers^  and  woujd  hasten  to 
extend  to  them  a  participation  m  t^  invahiable 
i^its  j^»finkg  the  basis  of  th^  oi^  imexam|4ed  pros- 
perity, and't^at,  iti  the  meanwhile,  tb^  people  would  be 
preleoted  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  ^berty,  ftapex^y 


I 


-'& 


# 


.* 


w 


620 


THE  AMEEICAITS  TAKE  POSSBSSiaN. 


and  religion ;  that  their  commerce  would  be  favored, 
and  their  agriculture  encourAgecL  He  recommended  to 
them  to  promote  political  information  in  the  province, 
and  to  guide  the  rising  moderation  in  the  paths  of  re- 
publican energy  and  virtue."  . 

-  vThe  three  commissioners  then  went  to  one  of  the 
balconies  of  the  City  Hall.  On  their  making  theifc 
appearance,  the  French  flag  that  was  floating  at  the  top 
of  a  pole  in  the  middle  of  the  square  came  down,,  and 
the  American  flag  Went  up.  When  they  met  half  way^ 
a  gun,  was  fired  as  a  signal,  and  immediately  the  land 
batteries  began  their  discharges,  which  were  responded 
to  by  the  armed  vessels  in  the  river.  ^  A  group  of 
American  citizens  who  stood  at*  a  corner  of  the  square," 
says  Judge  Martin,  **  waved  their  hats,  in  token  of- 
respect  for  their  countiy's  flag^  and  a  few  of  them 
greeted  it  with  th^  voices ;  fto  emotion  was  manifested 
by  any  other  part  of  the  crowd.  The  colonists  did  not 
appear  conscious 'that  they  were  reachmg  th^  I,a4imn' 

Laussat  then  presented  the  American  commissioners 
to  the  militia,  and  delivered  to  them  the  command  of 
that  body.  Afterwards,  Claiborne  and  Wilkinlon  pro- 
ceeded to  have  aU  the  posts*  and  guardhouses  occupied 
by  their  troops.  Thus  ended  the  French  domination, 
if  it  can  be  so  called,  twenty  days  after  it  had  begun. 
The  Spanish  Government  had  lasted  thirty^our  yeaj^ 
and  a  few  months. 

,  On  this  day,  when  he  took  possession  of  the  colony, 
(die  20th  of  December,  1803),    Claiborne  issued  the 
following  proclamation : 

"  Whereas,  by  stipulations  between  the  Governments 
of  France  and  ^pain,  the  letter  ceded  to  the  formei*  tJiOi 
Col<my  and  Province  of  Loukiana,  and  with  the  fwtia© 
eittent  which  it  had  at  the  date  of  the  above  mentioned^ 


'f» 


m 


OLAIBOBirE'S    PBOOIiAMATION. 


m 


**. 


treaty  in  the  hands  6f  Spaing  and  that  it  had  when  France 
possessed  it,  and  such  as  it  ought  to  be  after  the  treaties 
subsequently  entered  into  between  Spain  and  other 
States;  and  whereas  the  Government  of  France  has 
Ceded  the  same  to  the  United^  States  by  a  treaty  duly 
ratified,  and  bearing  date  the  30th  of  AprH  in  the  pre- 
sent year,  and  the  possession  of  said  Colony  and  Province 
is  now  in  the  United  States  according  to  the  tenor  of  the 
last  mentioned  treaty ;  and  whereas  the  Congr^s  of  the 
United  States,  on  the  Slst  of  October,  in  the  present 
yeaTj  did  enact  that  until  the  expiration  of  the  Session 
of  Congress  then  sitting  (unless  provisions  for  the  tem- 
porary government  of  the  said  territories  be  sooner  madfe 
by  Congress),  all  the  military,  civil,  and  judicial  powers 
exercised  by  the  then  existii^  government  of  the  same, 
shall-ibe  vested  in  such  person  or  persons,  and  shaU  be 
exei*cised  in  such  manner  as  the  President  of  the  United 
States  shall  direct,  for  the  maintaining  and  protecting  Of 
the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  in  the  free  enjoyment  of 
their  liberty,  property,  and  religion ;  and  the  President 
of  the  United  States  li|p,by  his  commission  bearing  date 
the  sami  Slst  of  October,  invested  me  with  all  the  powera, 
and  charged  me  with  the  several  duties  heretofore  held 
aiid  exercised  by  the  Gov^rnor^Geheral  and  the  Inten- 
daiit  of  the  Province: 

**  I  have  therefore  thought  fit  to  idsua  this  my'  Procla- 
mation: 

^  Mfddng  known  the  premises,  and  to  declare  that  the 
government  heretofore  exercised  over  the  said  Pi*ovihce 
of  Louisiana,  as  weU  under  the  authority  of  Spa^  as  of 
the  French  Republic,  has  ceased,  and  that  of  the  United 
Slates  of  America  is  established  over  the  same ;  that  the 
inhabitants  thereof  will  be  incorporated  in  the  Union  of 
the  United  States,  and  admittii  as  soon,  as  possible, 
fording  to  the  princijiles  of  the  Federal  Constitution, 


*% 


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snxsAn<m  m  jym  ocxLoinr  et  iBos. 


'0, 


to  the  onjoymont  of  a^  the  righta^  a^antages,  ancl  jim* 
tnunities  of  citiaens  of  the  United  States,  *Hat,  'n  the 
meauMme^they  shall  be  iibaintaiiied  and  {n'otected  m  the 
free  enjoymen*^  of  thar  liberty,  property,,  and.  the  ieli* 
^on  Which  t>iev  profess;  that  alV  laws  and  iivinidpal 
.regidatioiis  *^xii  were  in. existence  at  the  cesitolaoil'of 
the  late  govfcmment,  remain  in  fnll  Jotce;^  and  all  citil 
officers  charged  with  their  execution,  except  those  whose 
powers  haVe  been  specially  vested  in  me,  and  eicept  also 
such  officers  ad  have  been  intrusted  with  the  collection  of 
the  revenue,  are  continued  in  thdtr  functions  during  the 
pleasure  of  the  Governor  for  the  time  being,  or  until  pro- 
vision shall  othepwiSe1)e  made. 

"  And  I  hereby  exhort  and  enjoin  all  the  Inhabitants 
and  other  persons  within  the  swd  Province  tobefaJth- 
tttl  and  true  in  then'  aUegiaUee  to  the  United  States,  and 
obedient  to  the-  laws  &nd  authoiities 'of -the  same,  ujider 
full  assurance  that  l^eir  just  rights  wiU  be  under  the 
guardianship  of  the  United  States  iand  will  be  madntained 
free  from  dll  force  and  violence  from^  without  or  within.'' 

The  situation  in  I  which  ^Louisigaia  was,  when  trans- 
ferred to  ^hi&  United  States,  i»  fully  described  in  a 
document*  commuiiicated  by  the  President  to  Con^e^ 
on  the  14th  of  November^  "Wlien  O'Reilly  toofe  final 
possession  of  the  coloUy  in  1769,  its  population  Was  about 
,13,006  or  14,000-douls,  «llowiug  to  Mew  Orleans  $190 
sottk  -  In  1803,  it  was  estimated  at  49,000  or.  50^000 
souls  for  the  whole  provincc,tputting  dbwn  iSfew  Orleans 
at  8000  or- 10,000  80uls,t  -and  not  bickding  iks  Iiidiaiis, 
who,  scattoered  >boat  on  -that  immensiB  territiDry,  w«re 
not  supposed  to  number  more  than  iJo.OOO  or  30^000 

*  Atnorican.SUte  Pap(Bi^  toll,  p.  8«v   MieccllBneom^ 

f  It  Ib  belieyiea' thftt' the  popa1ati6n  wm  ulidert^te<(  and  thal^  to  set  it  do^a 
Mt  60,0iK}  aouls  would  be  a  oloaer  approsjinatioa  to  trdti),  Sdm<!i  oontempon^eti 
vrbo  are  entitlied  to  mueh  credit  even  tbink  tiiat  the  population  yfu  conuderaU| 
larger.  ij 


^ 


Sl( 


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* 


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* 


SITUJk,TIOJf   OF  TIIB  pOLOUy  Pf   18Q8. 


623 


sQuis.    Th%reven»es»  ot  l^f^^oi  "^ew  Qrlesm  were 
$10j278,  and  its  expf^^^es  hftrdly  amomited  to  tenthou- 
^an^  dp]|iiri.    "Pi^,  annual.  prQd^«e  of  the  province  was 
supposed*  to  c<msis1i  of  3000  pounds  pf  in<%>  (rapidly 
|eclining)~:20,000Me8  gl:<5ptl5pn  p^  8QQ  ppunds  each-*- 
SOOO  hogsheads  of  sngar  of  1000  pounds,  each— 5000 
|j^ks  of  molasses  pf  50  gaUops  each.    The  estimate  of 
the  produce  shipped  fi-om   New;  OrleMW  in  the  year 
i80^,  including  that  cf  the  sftttlements  on  the  llississippi, 
Qhip,  xfec,  did  not  exceed  49i000  tons.  The  exports  were 
estimated  st  |2,158,000,  and  the  imports  at  12^600,000. 
th^  revenue^  ^ffcroing  to,  th^  ^g'^  TiTeasnry  hardly 
wenlup,  on  an  average,  to  $} 2 0^(^00, a  year,  and  the  ex- 
pendituyea  pf  the  government  had  j^radu^lly  risen  so  high 
m  to  e?^eed  1800,000  ift  the  year  18' ^2^ 
i   "^^en^  t^^  Spaniards  topkppssessipn  of  the  colony^ 
there  were  m  it  seyen  millions  of  paper  naoney  issued  by^ 
the  French  Government,  then  lo3ing  T5  per  cent.    On 
its  retroeessipn  to  France,  the  paper  issued  and  to  Be 
redeemed  jby  the  Spaniards  hardly  exceeded  siichnndred 
thousand  idpllars.    '^It  consisted  of  emission  made  in 
the  ea^iljr  part  of  the  Spanish  administration,  an^of  n 
4ebt  dtte  ^y  the  Gpyernmenfr  for  snpplies  furni^ed  to 
the  trpops  and  theKing's  stpres,f  and  for  salaries  o| 
officerejBid  workmen,  for  which  Uberaimta,  or  certificate^^ 
were  regularly  issued,  pf  which  there  was  afloat,  at  the 
time  of  the  cession,  a  sum  of  from  four  hundred  and  ;^ 
|ifty  tp  fi^-e  hundred  thonsand  dpjlars.    They  bwe  no 
'Titerestj  and  were  cpmmonly.tp  be  bought  at  adiscptint 
of  feoni^  25  ^  50  per  cent.    At  the  jihange ;  of  Governr 
n>cnt  the  discoiii^t  was  thirty.,  This  depreciation  was  no^ 
tl^e  result  pf  a  want  of  confidence,  or  of  any  apprehen-  * 
s^on  ibhat  the  certificates  would  not  be  paid,  bnt  the 


♦  kartjn'e  History; 


f  lb.,  vol  ii,  p.  811; 


% 


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fm 


mm 


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«^^ 


624 


srnjA  nioir  of,  the  oolont  in  isoa 


€ 


l^p 


oonseqtence  of  tiie  increased  value  <^  money,  produced 
by  tho  scarcity  of  it  in  the  inarket."  ^^ 

-As  ikr  as  I  Uave  been  able  to  judgo,  T  tMnk  1  Jntty 
siafely  come  to  the  conclusion  that  tli<:  u  v'iuary  ;iuid 
extraordii)  iry  ei:T)e^8  incurred  l>y  Spiiii  in  is^^latio^  f^ 
Louisiana,  over  and  oJoii  the  small  reveiiue  aiio  deny?;ti 
from  that  colony,  may,  without  oxaggeifttion,  be  put 
down  at  about  fiftei-^il  miUkMia  of  doUars,  from  the  fith 
of  March,  1T6€,  whenXIlloa  landi^d  at  New  Orlonos  to 
the  30tli  of  l^ovembrr;  1803,  »vhon  tlie  retrocession  t(V 
France  took  j^e.  *, 

ft  \'nll  be  recollected  thatj  as  preyion&ly  1  elated,  the 
Marqaigof  Grin:  J>ldi,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Cabinet 
of  M£^l;\;l,  had  written,  pn  the  11th  of  May,  lt67,  to  tl^e 
Oonni  01  Ifuentes,  then  Atdbapsador  of  Spain  "at  Ver- 
RalHos :  *'  The  Duke  of  Fraslin  (one  vof  the  French  Minis?, 
ters)  will  remember  that  there  were  doubts  on  our  part^ 
as  to  the  acceptation  of  the.  donation  tendered  by  his 
most  Christian  Majesty.  But,  as  the  sani^  reasons  which 
had  made  JfVanee  believe  in  the  necessity  of  the  cession, 
prompted  Spsin  to  acpept  it,  the  King  gave  it  Ms  assent, 
idthoMgh  it  was  well  known  that  we  were  acquiring 
nothing  but  a  i  annual  incumbrance  Of  two  hundred  and„ 
fifty  to  three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  in  con£aderation 
ctf  a  distant  and  negative  utility — ^which  is— 4hat  of  pos- 
^sessmg.  a  eounta^  to  prevent  its  being  possessed  by 
another  nation.*^     }^- «      -  -^  v 

Thus  Spainhad ass^imed  an  incum^cmee^  which  cost 
lier  in  the  end  Meen  millions  of  dollars,  in  the  va,m 
h^pe  of ;  cEftablishing  a  barrier  between  her  Mexican 
Colonies  and  the  danger  which  «ho|bre6aw  was  to  come 
from  the  Northern  Col^es  of  England  in  America. 
Recent  events  haVe  proved  how  futile  was  the  attwnpt 
tO'p]^otect  herself  against  «n  inevitable  evil,  and  o^iperi* 
ence  has  demonstrated  that  the  application  of  European 


of: 

be< 


# 


'W 


^fK, 


# 


LOUISIANA  AN  INOUMBRANOB  TO,  SPAIN.  626 


treasurej  blood  and  iadustty  to  the  creation,  the  pur- 
chase or  the  conquest  of  Colonies  in  America,  is  not 
destined  to  be  a  profitable  investment.  Spain  therefore 
acted  wisely  when  she  at  last  determined  to  part  with  a 
possession  which  was  a  useless  and  expensive  incum- 
brance to  her,  and  which  was  on  the  eve  of  being 
wrested  fi^m  her  by  her  powerful  neighbors,  who,  by 
so  doing,  would  have  obeyed  rather  the  dictates  of  a 
stem  necessity,  than  of  an  ambition  yet  dormant  in  the 

cradle.  r^:  ■-''^•>:^•'■-■ 

L6uisiana,  when  in  its  colonial  state,  has  the  honor  of 
having  ,  produced  several  distinguished  men,  among 
whom  the  following 'are  the  most  remarkable  : 

Aubert  Bubayet^  was  born  yx  Louisiana  on  the  Hth 
of  August,  1*759.  He  was  the  son  of  Adjutant-Major 
Aubertj  one  of  those  officers  who,  in  1769^,  were  sent  by 
Governor  Aubry,  at  the  request  of  Gteneral  O'Reilly,  to  ar- 
rest the  French  Commissary  Foucault  He  entered  in  early 
life  into  the  French  army,  and  served  in  America  during 
^  the  war  of  Independence  between  Great  Bniiain  and  the?' 
Ul^ted  States.  He  was  in  France  at  the  commencement 
of  th#l£evoluldonfa^d  soon  began  to  take  an  active  part 
in  public  afBoirs.  ]bi  t7S9,  jie  imblished  a  pamphlet 
against  admitting  the  Jews  to  th<^  rights  of  ci^^m^p. 
But  he  afterwards  became  one  of  the  pvittctpal  advocates 
fctf  iunovation,  and,  m  lYQl,  was  chds^  a :  member  of 
ihe  Legislative  Assembly,  in  which '  he  acted  4i  ccmapi- 
cuous  pf^i  In:  1*798,  he  resumed  his  militaiiy  professiibii^ 
attd  wap  made  Governor  of  llkyenee,  which,:after  an  ob^ 
stinatedeftnice, he  was  pbli^d  to  surr^der to^ithe  King^; 
of  Prussia.  Aubert  Dubayet  then  c6mmaiK^d>  as.  Gene^ 
i^l4n-cMef  in^I^  Yehd6e^  and^  b^ti|^  defeatcpd  at'61i8son, 
became  the  object  ^^  deuKxt^iitiond'  i^jainst  whscb  he 


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ooNOLin>nf6  itsHARks^ 


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saocessfoUy  defended  himsetf.  Employed  ^ain  at  Oli^f* 
boHrg,  lie  *as  called  by  the  Directory  to  the  post  of 
Minister  of  War,  which  he  held  only  three  moiiths; 
when  he  was  a^.^'  ointed  Minister  of  theHepnblio  at  Gon- 
stantanc^le,  where  he  closed  a  life  of  aotlire  service;  oil 
the  lYth  of  December,  1Y9Y,  at  the  a^  of  thirty-seren. 

.  Etienne  Bernard  Ale^randre  Vi6l^  «t  learned  Jesuit, 
Was  born  in  Ne#  Orleans,  OH  the  Slftt  of  October,  11r86, 
and  died  on  the  16th  of  DeoembiBr,  1821,  at  the  college 
of  fbiilly,  in  France,  where  he  had  been  educated,  and 
where,  in  his  tnrn,  he  had  devoted  himself  to  the  educa- 
tion of  youth,  after  having  resided  many  years  tin  Atta^ 
kapas,  where  he  made  hiinself  beloved  by  all  the 
inhabitants.  He  is  known  in  the  erudite  woHd  by  a 
very  beautiful  translation,  &  dtin  verse,  of  F&i^lQtfs 
Telemachus,  also  by  some  little  poems  hi  Latin  verse 
which  he  offered  to  the  public^  in  1816,  under  the  title  of 
"MisceUane$  Latino-Gallic?^^  and'  by  an  excellent 
Fi-ench  translation  of  the  Ars  PbciVica,  and  of  two  of 
Bforace's  epistles.         *^  ■  - 

Jean  Jact^ues  Audubon,  the  oelebriited  naturalist,  was 
bom  near  New  Orleans,  in  1^80,  and  died  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  in  1851,  bequeai^ing  to  posterity  those  works 
which  have  already  acquired  for  him  ai^  immortal  fame. 

Bronifer  de  Glouet^  bom  in  Louisimta,  about  the  year 
1764,  entered  the  Spanish  army  in  early  lifcj  rose  to  the 
grade  of  Brigadiep'General,  was  for  some  time  Gbternor 
of  the  province  of  H(i»goa  in  the  island  of  Ortba,  was 
created  Opimt  dela'#ernandlna  de  Hagu^imd  had  just 
been  raisdd  to  the  Senate,  by  Queen  Isabella  II.,'when 
he  died  in  Mikdiid;.  lately^  in  his  eighty-fourth  yeai.     -; 

Daunoy,  br  atther  D'Aundy,  was  boM  in  New  Oirleansj 
about  the  year  ttY€:   ife?)!^^  a  Spaiiiih'G^eir^ 

he  rose  by  degrees  to  tjlie'  grade  of  lieutdhant^Greneral, 
after  hamg  greatily  disibingoished  himself  agaiudt  the 


**• 


OONOLUOZNO  BBHABKS. 


en 


fVonoh  in  the  F^inBular  war.  He  died  at  an  age  w'hen 
he  was  Rtill  capable  of  rendering  more  services  to  the 
Spanish  mpnarchy. 

,  Joseph  Villamil)  who. was  bom  in  NewiOrleans  iit 
1789,  took  a  part  in  the  war  of  independenee  waged  by 
the  South  American  provinces,  fought  hi|.wa}  to  cele- 
brity and  to  the  grade  of  General,  and  has^  lately  been 
appointed  Charg^  d^AfiGaires  by  the  BepnbHc  .of 
Ecuador  near  the  government  of  the  United  States. 

Many  other  Louisianians,  although  having  made  them- 
sQlve?  less  conspicuous,  rose  to  honorable  distinction  in  the 
service  of  Frano^3pain  and  other  powers ;  an^the  num- 
ber of  those  wl^Pthus  diistinguished  themselt^  becomes 


remarkable^  when  taken  in  connexion  with  tie  small-^ 
ness  of  the  colonial  population  fix>m  which  they  sprang* 

In  conclusion,  I  must  call  the  attention  of  the  reader 
to  a  singular  anomaly-^which  is— 'that,  with  all  the  foul 
abuses  and  tyrannical  practices  with  which  it  has  been 
so  long  the  general  custom  to  reproach  the  government 
of  Spain  every  iftdiere,  her  administration  in  Louisiana 
was  »a8  .popular  as  any  that  ever  eidsted  inany  part  of 
the  world;  and  I  am  persuaded  that  I  can  rely  on  the 
unanimous  support  of  my  contemporaries  when!  declare, 
that  they  scarcely  ever  met  in  Louisiana  an  individually 
old  enough  to  have  lived  under  the  Spfupish  government 
in  the  colony  and  jndged  of  its  bearing  oii  the  happiness 
of  ihe  pec^le,  who  did  not  speak  of  it  tilth  affectionate 
reape<^  and  describe  those  days  of  colonial  rtile  as  the 
golden  age,  which,  with  many,  wa^  the  object  of.  seeret, 
and  with  others,  of  open  regrets.  Mch  a  govemmont 
would,  of  cotirse,  have  been  insupportable  to  us,  bnt "^ 
is  mot  hence  to  be  inferred  that  it  did  not  suit  tM  tallies 
and  Mii^f  and^eserve  the  gratitude  of  oiir  ancestoii. 

Thu9  endt  (ihd  Colonial  ^story  of  Louisiana.  1  have 
to  write  it  faithfully,  accurately  and  impaa> 


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OONOLITDING  ItEUABXS. 


tially,  with  an  unabating  lav©  for  tnitli,  and  with  an 
unselfish  dudire  of  serving  in  thii  way,  if  not  in  any 
other,  the  country  to  which  I  am  bound  uby  so  many 
ties— not  o#y  by  birth,  education  and  habit,  bttt  also 
by  so  many  endearing  recollections  of  the  past,  and  even 
sO  many  family  associations  and  traditions,  which,  for 
me,  clothe  with  the  charm  alndost  of  priv«*e  interest  4ihe 
rdation  of  public  events  in  Ixwddlana. . .  « >;  ,*  t  ' 


"■v-Sr> 


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APPENDIX. 


v'^',; 
»•♦* 


(P«ft4«.) 


OBBTIMOAT  TO  QOUVP4ENBUB  ATIBJI. 


♦*K«U8;  Cr^ABLis  AcBRi,  oliOTaliwr  Oe  I'oirdie  royiri  et  miUtaire  de 
St.  lK»Tiis,4ii?Um  ecnamwiaa^t  pour  SA  Mi^eStA  tr6»  chrttienne  dela 
pro^ce  d6  la  Ld^iBUmer-Hsertifions  que  Monsieur  Etiennede 
G»y«rr6,  con1;«d6r  prmcipia  de  cette  province  ||dnr«i  Mnjest^  Oaiho- 
%ue,'arriv6  daai  cette  cdUiiie  «oiis  I'lapMitfcn  coinmaodfie  par  M. 
Stoiiie  detJlloa,  qtd  6tiH  ▼dwt  p&itea  prendire  poawMlon,  laqueUe 
Km  ditf6r6e  pl(t  dktes  aeddetti  impr^vna  depuia  le  cinq  mw 
Kiil  aept  cen^  acrixante-rf*.  jusquTfu  dixlmit  •^djt  dmme,  qn'dle  a 
^$  prb^  par  «on  ExceUence  Dwi#exaiidre  O^Heffly,  s'ert  to^Jotors 
iiMdiitentt,«owp<ifi6etrepr68eii^  Wtot  et  la  dlcence^dlt  4 

)»  place  libnoiil&Jii'acqdttai«iparfaiiement'ae^^t^  l<te  chtojfes 
aita6li«^  i  son  <^^<>r,  selon  Inexperience  qil<6  j'ett  ai  ene  sons  |e8 
yeux  et  lefl  sentiiiiWwlM  plna  diatbignfe  »vec  l«!wiii<fls  anon  dit  rieur 
de  Ulba  a  totgonw  Wt*  aved  lui^«t,  poiik>aI6reifteni  depmB  boh 
ibaenoe  de  la  fin  d'octobre  de  ^am%  dcrxa^  jittqu*  4  ce  jour,  tfur 
pluai^  aftures  d^licates  concemaat  W  servipeB  de  leurs  H^estfis 
tris  Oh^eimo  et  OatboUque,  en  aa  qualijk*  de  Oontad«*i  ajmt  mtme 
fait  «6U^j«  le«  fonctions  d'lateiidant  dans  pUiiiewa  oocasioiw,  en 
l*abneiice  ^  longne  maladie  de  11^.  JTean  Joseyli  de  Loyola,  et  jMsi 
aptii^dlfc '  A«rt ;  accompliwant  ponctueJlement  toutes  les  oblijifatlpna 
dn  jerviee  des  rois  de  France  et  d'Bipagne,  avec  tout  le  zele,  r«ppli. 
catiouret'la  conddte  la  plnrr^gnfiAre,  qui  lui  ont  attir|  I'eatane, 
l'amitl6  et  rapprobadon  de  tinis  fe|  tonn^tes  gens?  en  foi  de  quoi,  je 


# 


# 


/•iv. 


mo 


APPENDIX. 


Itti  «i  donnA  aveo  plaiiir  et  toute  la  uttsfaetion  poMible,  le  px^Mnt, 
ponr  lai  i«ryir  ^t  raloir  portont  oil  h^toin  sera.  Fait  doable  k  la 
Nouvelle  Orleans,  le  23  novembre,  1769. 

"AUBEI." 


[teAmunoif.] 


OBETIPIOATB  OP  OOVEBNOE  AUBRI. 


1^ 


•If 


■| 


%., 


"  I,  Oharlbs  AuBRi;  knight  of  the  royal  and  military  order  of  St. 
Louis,  late  Qovemor  of  the  Province  of  Louisiana  for  his  |aost 
Christi^A  M<^esty,  certify  that  Hf .  Etienne  de  Gayarr^,  Chief  Gonta- 
dor  of  this  province  for  his  Oatholic  Mi^^sty,  who  came  to  this  colony 
in  the  expedition  commanded  by  M.  ^kUtoine  de  IT^oa,  which  was 
sent  to  take  possession  of  it,  but  which  ceremony  had  been  deferred, 
owing  to  sundry  unforeseen  accidents,  pom  March  6,  1766,  to  the 
18th  of  August  last  past,  when  it  was  aocbtnpUshed  by  his  Excellency 
Don  Alexander  O'l^eiUy, — IiaS  always  oonducted  hiinselt  in  accord- 
ance with  the  requirements  of  hii  honorable  station,  faithfully  dis- 
charging all  the  duties  incumbent  upon  l||im,— -and  this  I  vouch  fpr 
from  my  own  personal  observation,  ail  well  as  from  the  exalted 
opinion  which  the  said  Sietur  de  tJlloa  has  always  expressed  concern- 
ing him,— and  particularly  since  his  absence  from  the  end  of  last 
October  to  the  present  time  upon  various  delicate  ^airs  connected 
with  the  service  of  their  most  Ohribtian  and  Catholic  Higesties,  !|n 
htis  office  a(»  Contador,  having  oven  often  discharged  the  ^notions  .cif 
Ititendant  on  several  occatdons,  duriiig  the  abseiiee  and  protrat^ted 
sickness  of  iU.  Jean  Joseph  de  Loyola,  and  idso  after  his  decease ; 
phnctnally  frdi^ning  all  the  requirements  of  the  service  of  the  Kings 
of  FrAtitce  an4  Spainf,  with  a  z^,  application,  and.punctu'a^ty  which 
have  won  for  him  the  esteem,  friendship  and  approbation  of  all  honoif- 
able  men.  In  testimony  of  which*  with  the  greatest  pleasure  and 
satisfaction,  I  We  given  liim  thiise  presents,  thiit  they  nla;^  serve 
him  in  case  of  need.  Gfiiren  in  dnpBca^  ^t  New  Orleans*,  KoVeniber 
'2d,a769.      '  '      '   "^ 

"A0BEL" 


1 


■H     -"^ 


?# 


JOVMSDIX. 


681 


n 


#1 


UNZAGA'S  PROCLAMATION. 


r 


"  Wu,  Don  Ltis  db  Unzaoa,  Colonel  in  the  annles  of  Iiii  Ma* 
Jeitjr,  and  his  Intendant  and  Qovernor-Qeneral  in  and  for  the  province 
of  Loniriana : 

*'  Make  it  known  that  having,  from  experience,  become  acquainted 
viih  the  di£Perent  frauds  and  malpractices  which  are  apt  to  be  com- 
mitted in  all  sales,  exchanges,  permtitations,  barters,  and  generally  in 
all  alienations  concerning  negroes,  immoveables,  and  real  estates, 
which  are  made  clandestinely  and  in  violation  of  •the  public  faltl^,  by 
a  ^ple  deed  in  writing  under  private  seal,  whereby  the  inhabitants  - 
of^s  province  are  greatly  distressed,  then-  rights  put  in  jeopardy, 
and  the  administration  of  justice  reduced  to  a  state  of  confusion  ;  and 
wishbg,  first,  to  remedy  such  pernicious  abuses,  and  next,  to.  esta- 
blish good  order  in  this  commonwealth  and  to  govern  it  as  are  all  the 
other  possessions  of  his  ]R(i\jesty  • 

"  We  order  an^  decree,  that  no  person,  whatever  be  his  or  her 
rank  or  condition,  shall  henceforth  sell,  alienate,  buy,  or  accept  as  a 
donation  or  otherwise,,  any  negroes,%lantations,  houses  and  any  kind 
of  sea-craft,  except  it  be  by  a  deed  executed  before  a  Nbtary  Public ; 
to  which  contracts  and  acts  of  sale  and  alienatidn  shall  bo  annexed  a 
certificate  of  the  Registrar  of  MoHsagea;  that  all  Qther  acts  made 
under  any  other  form  shall  be  n^  and  void,  and  as  if  they  had  never 
beenmadcii  that  the  sellers  and  buyers  shaU  have  no  right  to  the 
things  thus  sold,  bou|:ht  or  exchaw^^ ;  that  they  cannot  acquire,  any 
just  aijidiegitiihate  Jtotfsessioh  thereof;  and  tluit  Ureases  of  fraud,  all' 
parties  therein  concerned  shall  be  prosecuted  with  all  the,  severity  of 
the  laW ;  that  theNQtary  who  shall  make  a  bad  use  of  the  confidence 
r^jposedin  him  by  tt6  public  and  of  th^  fipth  put  in  the  fi toy  of 
his  JjiroMves,  and  who  shall  have  th^audaclty  to  antedate  or  postdate 
the  dia>eds  executed  before  hhn,  shall,  lo;  this  delinquency,  be -de- 
clared tmworthy  of  the  office  he  holdB,«uitl  shall  be  condemned  to 
undergd  all  the  penalties  ptovided  for  such  k  case  j  and  said  Notary, 
should  i^  forget:  to  annex  to  his  acts  ijbe  certificfie  of  Ae  Begistoar 
of  Mortgages  as  aforesaid,  sha!Il  be  proceedcid  against  aCCQxdii;ig  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  c^se;  and  that  no  one  shul  plead  ignorance  Of 
this  proclsanadcm  we  (wder  and  decree,  that  it  be  promulgated  with 
the!  beat  of  the  dhim;  and:  that  copies  thereof  certified  by  theSecre- 
iSEH^  of  the  (jl'ov^fnment  ani  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Cabildq  be 


,»'■ 


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«*■ 


&32 


APFSSiDlX, 


posted  up  at  the  maei.  places  in  this  toufhi,  and  sent  -to  all  the  posts 
depei  \iLTit  on  thil  Government. 

"  Given  at  the  Govemment^Houseii  on  the  Srd  of  November, 
1770.  -^  ^ 

"LIJIB  DE  tJNZAGA." 


0,^1''^! 


(P^^e  898.) 


EEGXJLATJONS  OF  INTENDANT  I10EALE8  REGARDING 

GRANTS  OP  LAND. 

"1.  To  each  nevly-arrived  family,  achaqMefamtlic  nouveUe,  who 
are  possessed  of  the  necessar^^nalifications  to  be  admitted  attaoug 
the  number  of  cultivatoA  of  these  provinces,  and  who  have  obtained 
the  perinission  of  theGovemm^t  to  establish  themselves  on  a  place 
which  they  have,  ehosen,  there  shall  be  grantod.^/or  once,  if  it  is  on 
the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  fouif  si:^  or  eight  arpents  in  front  on  the 
river,  by  the  ordinary  depth  df  forty  arpeBtH;  and  if  it  is  at  any 
other  place,  the  quantity  which  they  shall  be  judged  capable  to  cul- 
tivate, and  which  shall  be  dee;ggfed  necessary  for  pasture  for  their 
beasts,  in  proportion  and  acco|ding  to  the  number  of  which^the 
fkmily  is  composed ;  understanding  that  the  concession  is  nevei^  to 
exceed  eight  hundred  arpents  in  superficies. 

< "  2.  To  obtain  the  said  concessions,  if  they  are  asked  for  in  this  city, 
the  pannission  which  has  been  obtained  to  establish  themselves  in 
the  place  from  the  Governor,  ought  to  accompany  the  petition ;  and 
i^  in  May  of  the  posts,  the  Commandant  at  the  same  time  will  state 
that  the  lands  asked  for  are  vacant,  and  belong  to  the  domain,  and 
that  the  petitioner  has  obtained  permission  of  the  Government  to 
establish  himself;  and.  referring  to  the  date  of  the  letter  or  q,dvice 
thiay  have  received. 

'^3.  Those  who  obtain  concessiont^m  the  b«ak  of  the  river,  ought 
to  make,  in  the  first  year  of  their  possesskin^  levees  sufficiei^t  to  pre* 
vrjnt  the  inuttdtttion  of  the  waters,  and  canidd  sufficient  to  drain  off 
the  water  when  the  liver  is  h%h ;  they  shdl  be  held,  in  addition,  to 
make,  and  keep  in  good  order,  a  pubUu  Jbiigh'Wqrjr,  whieh  ought  to  be 
at  least  thirty  feet  wide,  uid  have  bridges  of  fift^n  feet  over  the 
oanalB  or  ditches  which  the  road  crosses ;  which  regulations  ought  to 


«. 


/■ 


#' 


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AXVESDVL 


683 


itKL 


be  obaerved,  aocordiug  to  the  usi^i^  of  tibe  respective  difitricts* 
by  all  persoafl  to  whom  lands  «re  granted^  in  what^er  part  they  are 
<^ta|ned.;  ■  ;-■;;..,•.,,;  * 

*'4.  The  new  settlers  who  have  obtained  laadk  shall  be  equcilly 

^  ';  obMged  to  cle<ir  and  pat  in  cultivation*  in  Ibe  precise  time  of  three 
years,  all  the  front  of  their  concessions,  for  th^  depth  of  at  least  two 
arpents,  under  the  penalty  of  having  the  lands  granted  reunited  to 
the  domain,  if  this  condition  is  not  complied  with.  The  Comman- 
dants and  Syndics  will  watch  that  what  is  enjoined  in  this  and  the 
preceding  article,  be  strictly  observed;  and  occasionally  ii^rm  the 
Intendont  of  wliat  they  have  remarked,  well  understan^ng  that  in 
case  of  de£Biult  they  will  be  responsible  to  his  Mcgesty. 

"5.  If  a  tract  of  land  bdonging  to  minors  remain  without  being 
cleared,  or  as  much  of  it  as  the  regulations  require;  and  that  the 
bank,  the  road,  the  ditches,  and  the  bridges  are  not  made,  the  Com*  v 
iHandant  or  Syndic  of  the  district  will  cert^  from  whom  the  fault 
has  arisen;  if  it  is  in  the  guardian,  he  will  urge  him  to  put  it  in 
order ;  and,  if  he  fails^  he  fthall  give  an  account  of  it ;  but,  if  the 
fault  arises  from  want  of  nieans  of  the  minor  to  defray  the  expense, 
the  Oommandant  or  Syndic  shall  address  a  statement  of  it  to  the 
intendancy,  to  the  end  that  eale  of  it  may  be  ordered  for  the  benefit 
of  the  minor,  to  whom  alone  this  privilege  ia  allowed ;  if,  in  the  space 
of  six  months,  any  purchaser  presents  himself ;  if  cot,  it  shall  be 
granted  gratis  to  any  person  asking  it,  or  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the 
treasury. 

•  **  6.  During  the  stud  term  of  three  years,  no  person  ah&M  sell  or 
dispose  of  the  land  which  has  been  granted  to  him,  nor  shall  he  ever 

•  after  the  tena,  if  he  has  failed  to  comply  with  the  conditions  con- 
tfuned  in  the  preceding  article ;  and, to  avoid  abusea and  surprise  in  ^ 
this  respect,  we  declare  that  all  sales  made  without  the  consent  of 
the  intendancy,  in  writihg,  shall  be  null  and  of  no  effect ;  which  con- 
sent shall  not  be  granted  until  they  have  examined,  with  scrupulous 
attention,  if  the  conditions  have  or  hai^e  not  been  AtlfiUed. 

"  7.  To  avoid,  for  the  fiitttre,  the  l«|%ations  and  confusion  of  which 
we  have  examples  every  day,  we  have  also  judged  it  very  necefsary 
that  the  Notaries  of  this  city,  and  the  OommMftdants  of  posts,  ehall 
not  take  any  acknowledgment  of  conveyances  of  la>\d  obi&u^eu  by 
concession ;  onless  the  toller  (grantor),  prints  and  delivers  to  the 
buyer  the  title  which  he  has  obtained,  and  in  addition,  being  carefial 
to  insert  in  the  deed  the  metes  and  bounds,  and  other  descriptionliJp 
wMch  result  from  tiiB  titie,  and  the  prochterbal  of  the  survey  whioh 
ought  to  accompany  it. 


I' 


I. 


#' 


m 


>». 


'f 


m 


684 


APPBIfDXX. 


"Si  In  case  itlitit  ihe  small  depj^  p£  tl^e  pqints, upon  which  tlx) 
]and  on  the  rive^  is  generally  formed,  prevent  the  granting  of  forty 
arpents,  according  to  usage,  there  shaU  be  gpven  a  greater  Quantity 
in  front  to  compensate  it ;  or,  if  no  other  person  asks  the  -concession, 
or  to  purchase  it,  it  sh«U  be  divided  equ^lj  between  the  persons 
nearest  to  it,  who  may  repair  the  banks^  roads,  and  bridges,  in  * 
manner  before  prescribed. 

"  9.  Although  the  King  renounces  the  possession  of  Jhe  land-i  sold, 
distributed,  or  conceded,  in  his  name,  those  to  whom  they  are 
granted  or  sold  ought  to  be  apprised  that  his  Majesty  reserves  the 
right  of  taking  from  the  forests  known  here  uudei'  the  name  of 
cypress  woods,  all  the  wood  which  may  be  necessary  for  his  use,  and 
more  especially  which  he  may  want  for  the  navy,  in  the  same  man- 
ner and  with  the  same  liberty  that  the  undertakels  have  eigoyed  to 
this  time  ;  but  this,  notwithstanding,  they  are  not  to  suppose'' them- 
selves anthorized  to  take  more  than  is  necessary,  nor  to  make  use  of 
or  split  those  which  are  cut  down  and  found  unsuitable. 

"  10.  In  the  posts  of  Opelousas  and  Attakapas,  the  greatest  quan- 
tity of  land  that  can  be  conceded,  shall  be  one  league  front  by  the 
same  quantity  in^epth;  and  when  forty  arpents  cannot  be  obtained 
in  depth,  a  half  league  may  be  granted ;  and,  for  a  general  rule,  it  is 
established*  that,  to  obtain,  in  said  posts,  a  half  league  in  front  by  the 
same  quantity  in  depth,  the  petitioner  must  be  owner  of  one  hundred 
head  of  cattle,  some  horses  and  sheep,  and  two  slaves,  and  also  in 
proportion  for  a  larger  tract,  without  the  power,  however,  of  exceed- 
ing the  quantity  before  mentioned.  ^    • 

"  11.  As  much  as  it  is  possible,  and  the  local  situation  will  pennit, 
no  interval  shall  be  left  between  concessions  ;  because  it  is  very  ad- 
vantageous that  the  establishments  touch,  as  much  for  the  inhabitants, 
who  can  lend  each  other  mutual  support,  as  for  the  more  easy 
administration  of  justice,  and  the  observance  of  rules  of  police,  indis- 
pensable in  all  places,  but  more  especially  in  new  establishments. 

"  12.  If,  notwithstanding  what  is  before  written,  marshy  lands,  or 
other  causes,  shall  make  it  necessary  to  leave  some  vacp^nt  lands,  the 
Ooi^mandants  and  Syndics  will  take  care  that  the  inhabitants  of  the, 
district  alone  may  take  wood  enough  for  their  use  only,  well  under- 
standing they  shall  not  take  more  ;  or,  if  any  individual  of  any  other 
post,  shaU  attempt  to  get  wood,  or  cut  fire-wood  without  ha\ang  ob- 
tained the  permission  of  this  intendancy,  besides  the  indemnity  which 
he  shall  be  held  to  pay  the  treasury  for  the  damage  sustained,  he 
shall  be  condemned,  for  the  first  time^  to  the  payment  of  a  fine  of 
twenty -five  dollars  ;  twice  that  sum  for  the  second  offence ;  and,  fot 


■'*- 


:?:■ 


V. 


m 


t 


APPENDIX. 


63i 


tlii^  tlfird  offenee,  Jbadl  ibe  pat  in  prison,  aceoading  as  the  off«MHM  ma^ 
be  more  Or  lesil  aj^arated ;  the  said  fines  AaHl  be  divided  betveen 
t^  treasury,  the  Judge,  and  the  InfomMr. 

"13.  Tie  neW  settler,  to  wbom  land  has  been  granted  in  one 
Settlement,  cannot  obtain  another  concession  without  having  pre- 
viously proven  that  he  had  possessed  the  first  during  three  years, 
4iD^  fulled  all  the  conditions  prescribed. 

'*  H.  The  changes  owasioned  by  the  current  of  the  river,  are  often 
the  cause  of  one  part  of  a  concession  becoming  useless,  so  that  we 
have  examples  of  proprietors  pretending  to  abandon  tod  re-unite  to 
the  domain  a  part  of  the  most  expensive,  for  keeping  up  the  banks, 
the  roads,  the  ditches,  &c.,  and  willing  to  reserve  only  that  which  is 
gooid  5  and  se^ng  that,  unless  some  remedy  is  provided  for  this  abuse, 
the  greatest  mischief  must  result  to  the  neighbours,  we  declare  that 
the  treasury  wfll  not  admit  of  an  abandonment  or  re-union  to  the 
d(](main  of  any  part  of  the  land  the  owner  wishes  to  get  rid  of,  unless 
the  abandonment  comprehends  the  whole  limits  included  in  the 
concession  or  act  in  virtue  of  which  he  owns  the  land  he  wishes  to 
abandon. 

"  15.  All  concessions  shall  be  given  in  the  name  of  the  King,  by 
the  General-Intendant  of  this  province,  who  shall  order  the  Surveyor- 
General,  or  one  particularly  named  by  him,  to  make  the  survey  and 
mark  the  land,  by  fixing  bounds,  not  only  in  £n.  it,  but  also  in  the 
rear ;  this  (survey)  ought  to  be  done  in  the  presence  of  the  Comman- 
dant or  Syndic  of  the  district  and  of  two  of  the  neighbors;  and  these 
four  shall  sign  the  proccs-verhtd  which  shall  be  dtttwn  up  by  the 
Snrveyor. 

"16.  The  said  ^oces-vfirhal,  wi,"  a  certified  copy  of  the  Bame, 
shall  be  sent  by  the  Surveyor  to  tl-c  Intendant,  to  the  end  that,  on 
the  original,  there  be  delivered,  by  the  consent  of  tiie  King's  Attor- 
ney, the  necessary  title  paper  t,  to  this  will  be  annexed  the  certified 
copy  forwarded  by  the  Suv  va^  oc.  The  original  shall  be  deposited 
in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treaijury,  and  care  shall  be  taken 
to  make  annually  a  book  of  all  which  have  been  sent,  with  an  alpha- 
betical list,  tp  be  the  more  useful  when  it  is  necessary  to  hkve  re- 
course to  it,  tod  for  greater  security,  to  the  end  that,  at  all  times, 
and  jigainst  all  accidents,  the  documents  which  shall  be  wanted,  can 
be  foiiud;  The  Surveyor  shall  alsoliave  another  bodk,  Htunbered, 
in  which  ^^j^0ch-^erhal  of  the  sUrvey  he  maL^es  shall  be  record^, 
and,  as  well  on  the  original,  which  ought  to  be  deposited  on  record, 
a^  <^,the  copy  intended  to  be  annexed  *tG  the  title,  he  shall  note  the 


m 


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1 1 

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in 


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aft 


folio  of  tlie  l><tok  in  whiich.  helias  oiregistwed  theifigarative  plat  H 
survey.  • , 

"  17.  In  the  office  of  the  finimceB  thcire  shall  idso  be«  book^  nuttt- 
bered,  where  the  titles  of  cbncessions  shall  be  i«corded ;  in  wh^ch, 
beside  the  ordinary  elanses,  mention  shall  be  fiiadi^  of  the  folio  of  the 
book  in>  which  they  are  transcribed.  There  miist  also  be  a' note 
taken  in  the  contadoria  Sr  chamber  of  accounts)  of  the  army  ftlid 
finances,  and  that  unddr  the  penalty  of  being  roid.  The  dbanaber  of 
accounts  shall  also  have  a  like  book;  and,  at  the  thi^e  of  taking  the 
note,  shall  cite  the  folio  of  the  book  where  it  is  rocbrded. 

"  18.  Experience  proves  that  a  great  number  of  those  who  have 
ask^d  for  land  think  themselves  the  legal  owners  of  it;  thoseWho 
have  obtained  the  first  decree,  by  which  the  Surveyor  is  ordered  to 
measure  it,  and  to  put  them  in  possession ;  others,  after  the  survey 
has  been  made,  have  neglected  to  ask  the  title  for  the  property ;  and, 
as  like  abuses,  continuing  for  a  longer  time,  will  augnient  tiite  con- 
fusion and  disorder  which  will  necessarily  result,  we  declare  that  no 
one  of  those  who  have  obtained  the  said  decrees,  notwithstanding,  in 
virtue  of  them,  the  survey  Las  taken  place,  and  that  they  have  been 
put  in  possession,  can  be  regarded  as  owners  cf  land  until  their 
real  titles  are  df^livered,  completed  witL  all  the  formalities  before 
recited. 

"  19.  All  those  who  possess  lands  in  virtue  of  formal  titles  given 
by  their  Excellencies  the  Governors  this  province,  since  the  epoch 
when  it  came  under  the  power  ~  the  Spanish ;  and  those  who  pos- 
sessed them  in  the  tinie  wher  i*  belonged  to  France,  so  iar  from 
being  interrupted,  shall,  on  the  o'vnt  'ai-y,  be  protected  and  maintained 
in  their  possessions. 

«  20.  Those  who,  without  the  title  or  pcsscstdon  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  article,  are  found  occupy inr;  lands,  shall  be  driven  there- 
from, as  from  property  belonging  to  the  crown ;  but,  if  they  have 
occupied  the  same  more  than  ten  years,  a  compromise  wHl  be  ad- 
mitted to  those  who  are  considered  as  owners,  that  is  to  say,  they 
shall  not  be  deprived  of  their  lands.  Always  that,  after  information, 
and  summary  procedure*  and  with  the  intervention  of  t^e  Procureur 
of  the  King,  at  the  board  of  the  treasury*  they  shall  be  obliged  to 
pay  a  just  and  moderate  retribulion,  calculated  according  to  thd  ex- 
tent of  the  lands,  their  situation,  and  other  circumstances,  and  the 
price  of  estimation  for  gnce  pidd  into  the  royal  treasury.  The  titles 
to  property  will  be  delivered,  on  referring  to  that  which  has  resulted 
from  the  proceedings. 


4 


# 


# 


APPENDIX. 


68Y 


"  21.  iThoflO  who  are  foimd  in  a-  situation  e^ressed  in,  the  18th 
article*  if  they  have  not  cleared  nor  done  any  work  upon  the  land 
tl^ey!  consider,  themselves  prpjffietors  of  by  virtue  of  the  first  decree 
ofrthe  €h)vemment,  not.  being  of  the  ntunbei  of  those  who  have  bee  i 
l^jadmitted  in  the  class  of  new  comers,  in  1  oii^g  deprived  or  admitted 
to  compromise)  in  the  manner  explained  in  the  preceding  article :  i^ 
they  are  of  that  class,  they  shall  observe  what  is  ordered  in  the 
article  following. 

"S2.  In  the  precise  and  peremptory  term  of  six  months,  counting 
from  the  day  when  this  regulation  shall  be  published  in  each  post, 
all  those  who  occupy  lande  without  titles  from  the  Governor,  and 
those  who,  in  having  obtained  a  certidn  number  of  arpents,  have 
seized  a  greater  quantity,  ought  to  make  it  known,  either  to  have 
their  titles  made  out,  if  there  are  any,  or  to  be  admitted  to  a  com- 
promise, or  to  declare  that  the  said  lands  belong  to  the  domain,  if 
they  have  not  been  occupied  more  tha^i  ten  years ;  understanding,  if 
it  passes  the  said  term,  if  the]r  are  instructed  by  other  ways,  they 
will  not  obtain  either  title  or  compromise. 

"  23.  Those  who  give  Nf'Tination  of  lands  occupied,^ after  the  ex- 
piration of  the  term  fixed  in  the  preceding  article,  shall  have  for  their 
reward  the  one-fourth  part  'of  the.  price  for  which  they  are  sold,  or 
obtained,  by  way  of  compromise ;  and,  if  desirable,  he  shall  have  the 
preference,  either  by  compromise,  at  the  price^f  appraisement,  and 
there  shall  be  made  a  deduction  of  one-fourth,  as  informer.  • 

..."  24.  As  it  IS  impossible,  considering  all  the  local  circumstances, 
that  aU  the  vacant  lands  belonging  to  the  domain,  should  be  sold  by 
auction,  as  it  is  ordaine4  by  the  law  Idth,  title  12th,  book  4th,  of  the 
collection  of  the  liiws  of  these  kingdoms^  the  sale  shall  be  made 
according  as  it  shall  be  demanded,  with  the  intervention  of  the  King's 
Attorney  for  the  board  of  il^ances,  for  the  price  they  shall  be  taxed, 
to  those  who  wish  to  purchase;  understandings  if  the  purchasers 
have  not  ready  money  to  pay,  it  shall  oe  lawfiil  for  them  to  purchase 
the  said  lands  at  redeemable  quit-rent,^  during  which  they  shall  pay 
the  five  per  cent,  yearly. 

"25.  Besides  the  modera*^!)  price  which  the  Ifnid  Ought  to  be  taxed, 
the  purchasers  shall  be  hel'  to  pay  down  theJpht  of  media  annata^ 
or  halfr<year's,  to  be  remr»  tod  to  Spain,  whi||^fccording  to  the  cub^ 
torn  of  Havana,  founded  on  law,  is  r^uced  to  two  and  a  hidf  per 
cent,  on  the  priee  of  eiitimation,  and  ^ade  18  per  cent  on  the  sum, 
by  the  said  two  and  a  half  per  cent. ;  they  shall  also  be  obliged  to 
pay  down  the  fees  of  the  Surveyor  and  Notary. 

"26.  l^e  sales  of  land  ahaiUbd  made,  subject  to  the  same  condition, 


ii 


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AjftajDix. 


f 


■'r/'^V 


l-'-i 


and  charges  of  ba^ks,  roads,  ditches  and  bridges,  contained,  in  the 
preceding  article.  But  the  purchaseHi  are  not  subject  to  lose*  theln 
lands,  if,  in  the  three  first  years,  t|ie7  do  not  fulfil  the  s^d  con^diticniii.. 
Commandants  and  Syndics  shall  obl%e  them  to  put  themselves 
within  the  rule,  be^  to  perform  the  conditloiis  in  a  reasonable  terj^f  , 
ai)id,  if  they  do  not  do  it,  the  said  work  shall  be  done  at  the  cost  .ol! 
the  purchasers.  , 

"  27.  Oare  shall  be  taken  to  observe  in  the  said  mles,  that  whiph 
is  recommended  in  the  11th  article,  seeing  the  advantages  and  utility 
which  result  from  potisolidating  the  estaiblishments  always  when  it  is 
practicable.  ,  ^       ,    ., 

"  28.  The  titles  to  the  propertj^  of  lands  which  are  sold,  or  granted  . 
by  way  of  compronule,  shall  be  isaced  by  the  General-Intendant, 
who,  after  the  price  of  estimation  is  fi?:ed,  iind  of  the  mc  ^ia  annata 
(half-year's)  rent,  or  quit-rpjnt,  the  said  price  of  eet'nation  shall  have 
been  paid  into  the  treasury,  shall  piit  it  in  writing  according  to  the 
result  of  the  proceeding  which  has  taken  place,  with  tile  intervention 
of  the  K vug's  Attorney. 

"29.  The  said  procedure  shall  be  deposited  in  the  office  of  the 
finance,  and  the  Mtle  be  transcribed  in  another  book,  intended  for  the 
recording  of  deeds  and  grants  of  land,  in  the  same  manner  as  is  or- 
dered by  the  17th  j\rt,icl^,  concemipg  giatuitous  concessions.  The 
principal  chamber  of  accounts  shall  also  have  a  separate  book, 
to- take  a  note  of  the  titles  issued  for  sales  and  grants  under  com- 
promise. 

"  30.  The  fees  of  the  Surveyor,  in  every  case  comprehended  in  the 
present  regulation,  shall  be  proportionate  to  tho  labor  and  that  which 
it  has  been  customary  until  this  time  to  pay.  Those  of  the  Secretary 
of  Finances,  unless  there  has  been  extraordinary  labor,  and  wuere 
the  new  settlers  are  not  poor  [for  in  this  case  he  is  not  to  exact  any 
thing  of  them]  shall  be  five  dollars  ;  and  this  shall  include  the  re- 
cording and  other  formalities  prescribed,  and  those  of  the  Appraisers, 
and  of  the  Interpreter,  if,  on  any  occasion,  there  is  reason  to  emplry 
him  to  transla;"  pap' '  j,  take  declarations  or  other  acts,  dhall  be  regu- 
lated by  the  proviupial  tariff.  , 

"31.  Indians  who  pijj|sei3S  lanus  within  the  limits  of  the  Govern- 
ment, shall  not,  in  an^^^anuer,  be  disturbed ;  on  the  contrary,  th^ 
shall  be  protected  an4  supported ;  and  to  this,  the  Commandants, 
Syndics,  and  Surveyors,  ought  to  pay  the  greatest  attention,  to  con- 
duct themselves  in  eonseijuence. 

"  32.  The  granting  or  selling  of  &ny  lands  shall  not  be  proceeded 
in  without  formal  information  having  been  previously  received  that 


W 


«t 


APPENDIX. 


6^9 


they  are  vacant ;  and,  to  avoid  ix^nribus  ntiistakes,  we  premise  that, 
be&ide  the  sigttatttre  of  the  Obmmatidant  or  Syndic  of  the  Strict, 
this  information  Ought  to  be  joined  by  that  of  the  Surveyor,  and  of 
two  of  the  neighbors  well  understanding.  If,  notwithstanding  this 
necessary  precan^ion,  it  shall  be  found  that  thd  land  has  another 
owner  besi^des  the  claimant,  and  that  there  is  sufficient  reason  to 
restore  it  to  him,  the  Commandant  or  Syndic,  the  Surveyor,  and  the 
neighbors  who  have  signed  the  information,  shall  indemnify  him  for 
the  losses  he  has  suffered. 

^*33.  As  far  as  it  may  be  practicable,  the  inhabitants  must  en- 
deavor that  the  petitions  presented  by  them,  to  ask  for  lands,  be 
written  in  the  Spanish  language;  in  wldch  ought,  also,  to  be  written 
the  advice  or  information  which  the  Oommandants  are  to  give.  In 
the  posts  where  this  is  not  practicable,  the  ancient  usage  shall  be 
followed. 

"  34.  All  the  lots  or  seats  belonging  to  the  domain,  which  are 
found  vacant,  either  in  this  city,  or  boroughs,  or  villages,  already 
established,  or  which  may  be  established,  shall  be  sold  foi  ready 
money,  with  all  the  foi;malities  prescribed  in  Article  the  twenty- 
fourth,  and  others,,  which  concern  the  sale  of  lands. 

''  35.  The  owners  of  lots  or  places,  which  have  been  divided,  as 
well  those  in  front,  as  towards  the  N.  E.  and  S.  W.  extremities,  N.  E. 
tind  S.  W.  shall,  within  three  months,  presont  to  the  intendancy  the 
titles  which  they  have  obtained ;  to  the  end  that,  in  examiifing  the 
same,  if  any  essential  thing  is  found  wanting  it  may  be  supplied,  and 
they  assured  of  their  property  in  a  legal  way. 

"  36.  The  same  thing  must  be  done  before  the  sub-delegates  of 
Mobile  and  Pensacola,  for  those  who  have  obtained  grants  for  lots  in 
these  respective  establishments ;  to  the  end  that  this  intendanqy, 
bang  instructed  thereon,  may  order  what  it  shall  jtidge  most  con- 
venient to  indemnify  the  royal  treasury,  without  doing  wrong  to  the 
owner. 

"  37.  In  the  office  of  the  comptroller,  contadoria  of  the  army,  or 
chambers  of  accounts  of  this  province,  and  other  boards  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  this  intendancy,  an  account  shall  be  kept  of  the 
amount  of  sides  or  grants  of  lands,  to  instruct  his  Majesty  every 
year  That  thiSa  branch  of  the  royal  revenue  produces,  according  as  it 
is  ordered  in  the  thirteenth  article  of  the  ordinance  of  the  King,  of 
the  16th  of  October,  1754.  * 

"  38.  The  Commandants,  or  Syndics,  in  their  respective  districts, 
are  ch|u;ged  with  the  colleetion  of  the  amount  of  the  taxes  or  rents 
laid  on  lands  ;  for  this  purpose  the  papei-s  and  necessary  documents 


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are  to  l)e  8ent  to  them ;  and  they  ought  to  forward  annually,  to  the 
general  trciastiry,  the  rams  they  have  collected,  •  to  the  end  that 
acq^uittances,  clothed  with  the  usual  formalities  of  law,  may  be  de- 
livered to  them." 


# 


If- 


(F«g6  694) 

No.  1. 

TREATY  AND  CONVENTIONS  BETWEEN  THE  UNITED 
STATES  AND  THE  FRENCH  REPUBLIC* 

"  Treaty  hetween  the  French  Republic  and  the  United  States,  concern- 
ing the  Cession  qf  Louisiana,  signed  at  Paris  the  Z^th  of  April, 
1803  ^       , 

"  Th^  President  of  the  United  States  of  America,  and  the  First 
Conbul  of  the  French  Republic,  in  t>  e  name  of  the  French  people, 
desiring  to  remove  all  snuree  of  miHunderstanding  relative  to  objects 
of  discussion,  mentioned  in  the  second  and  fifth  articles  of  the  con- 
vention of  the  8th  Yendemiaire,  an  9  (30th  of  September,  1800), 
relative  to  the  rights  claimed  by  the  United  States,  in  virtue  of  the 
treaty  concluded  at  Madrid  the  27.tli  of  October,  1795,  between  his 
Catholic  Majesty  and  the  said  United  States,  and  willing  to  strengthen 
the  union  and  friendship  which  at  the  time  of  the  said  convention 
was  happily  re-established  between  the  two  nations,  have  respect- 
ively named  their  plenipotentiaries ;  to  wit,  the  President  of  the 
United  States  c^  America,  by  and  with  the  advice  uad  consent  of  the 
Senate  of  the  said  States,  Robert  R.  Livingston,  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary of  the  United  States,  and  James  Monroo,  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary and  Envoy  Ext^aordintu-y  of  the  said  States j  near  the 
government  of  the  TrsDch  Re|mblio ;  and  the  First  Consul,  h  the 
name  of  the  French  people,  the  French  eitizen  Barb6  Marbins 

*  The  tre&ty  and  ooi  rention  are  given  ftom  the  Aneri«aa  e<^^M^  snd  the 
United  States  are  oouMquently  named  first  in  theiu. — ^TaANS.^ 


.a 


^  4 


AFFfi5BIZ. 


641 


^ 


Minister  of  the  Public  Treasury,  who,  after  hariug  respectiVdy  ex- 
changeil  their  ftiU  powers,  have  agreed  to  tlile  following  articles : — 

"Art.  Ist.  Whereas,  by  the  article  the  third  of  the  treaty  con< 
eluded  at  Si  Ildephoiui6,  the  9th  Vendemiaire,  an  9  (Ist  October, 
I  1800),  betweea  the  First  Consul  of  the  French  Republic  and  His 
Oatholic.  Mi^esty,  it  was  agreed  as  follows :  'His  Oathollc  Majesty 
promises  and  engages,  on  his  part,  to  retrooede  to  the  French  Re- 
public, six  months  after  the  foil  and  entire  execution  of  the  condi- 
tions  and  stipulations  herein  relative  to  his  Royal  Highness  the  Duke 
of  Parma^  the  c<Aony  or  province  of  Louisiana,  with  the  same  extent 
that  it  now  has  in  the  hands  of  Spain,  and  that  it  had  when  France 
possessed  it ;  and  such  asit  should  be  after  the  treaties  subsequently 
entered  into  between  Spain  and  other  States/  And,  whereas,  in 
pursuance  of  the  treaty,  and  particularly  of  the  third  article,  the 
French  Republic  has  an  incontestable  title  to  the  domain,  and  to  the 
possession  of  the  saidi  territory :  The  First  Consul  of  the  French 
Republic,  desiring  to  give  to  the  United  States  a  strong  proof  of  his 
;^  friendship,  doth  hereby  cede  to  the  said  United  States,  in  the  name 
of  the  French  Republic,  for  ever  and  in  fuU  sovereignty,  the  said 
territory,  with  all  Its  rights  and  appurtenances,  as  ftilly  and  in  the 
same  manner  as  they  had  been  acquired  by  the  French  Republic  in 
virtue  of  the  above-mentioned  treaty  concluded  with  his  Catholic 
Mi^esty. 

"Art.  2d.  In  the  cessiofi  made  fey  the  preceding  article  ore  in- 
cluded the  adjacent  islands^  belonj^g  to  Louisiana,  all  public  lots 
and  squares,  vacant  lands,  alid  aU  publie  buildings,  fortifications, 
barracks,  and  other  edifices  which  are  not  private  property.  The 
archives,  papers,  and  docunlentftr  relative  to  the  domam  and  sove- 
reignty of  Louisiana  and  its'  dependencies,  w91  be  left  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  commissaries  of  the  United  States,  and  copies  will  be 
afterwards  given  %  due  fonn  to  the  maigistrates  aud  municipal 
officers  of  such  of  the  sud  papers  and  documents  as  may  be  neces- 
sary to  them. 

"Art.  3d.  The  inhabitants  of  the  ceded  territory  shihll  be  incor- 
porated in  the  Union  of  the  United  States,  and  admitted  as  soon  as 
possible,  according  to  the  principles  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  to 
the  enjoyment  of  all  ihie  rights,  advantages  and  immunities  of  citizens 
of  the  United  States ;  and  in  the  mean  tio^e  they  shall  be  miuntained 
and  protected  in  the  free  enjoyment  dF  their  Uberty,  ptoperty,  and 
the  religion  which  they  pr<Mfess. 

"Art.  4th.  There  sh(^  be  srait  by  the  government  of  France  a 
Commissary  to  Louisiana,  to  the  ($nd  that  he  do  every  act  neces- 

41 


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APfESTDlX. 


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mry,  as  well  to  reoeive  from  the  offioeri  of  his  Catholic  illiJeBty 
the  u.iid  country  and  iti  dependencies,  in  the  name  of  the  French 
Republic,  if  it  ha«  not  been  already  dov<w  -^m  to  transmit  it  in  the 
name  of  the  French  Bepublic  to  the  ov^vuiMary  or  agent  of  the 
United  States. 

"Art.  5th.  Immediately  after  the  ratification  of  the  present 
treaty  by  the  President  qf  the  United  States,  and  in  case  that  of  the 
First  Oonsul  shall  have  been  previously  obtained,  the  Oommissary 
of  the  Fronch  Republic  shall  remit  all  the  military  posts  of  New  Or- 
leans and  other  ports  of  the  ceded  territory,  to  the  Oommissary  or 
Commissaries  named  by  the  President  to  take  possession ;  the  troops, 
whether  of  France  or  Spain,  who  may  be  there,  shall  cease  to  occupy 
any  military  post  from  the  time  of  taking  possesion,  and  shall  be 
embarked  as  soon  as  possible,  in  the  course  of  three  months  after  the 
ratification  of  this  treaty. 

"  AuT.  6th.  The  United  States  promise  to  execute  such  treaties 
and  articles  as  may  have  luen  agreed  between  Spain  and  the  tribes 
and  nations  of  Indians,  until,  by  mutual  consent  of  the  United  States 
.md  the  said  tribes  or  nations,  other  suitable  articles  shall  have  been 
agreed  upon. 

"Art,  7th.  As  it  is  reciprocally  advantageous  to  the  commerce  of 
Fmnse  and  the  United  States  t^  encourage  the  communication  of 
botii  nations  for  a  limited  time  in  the  country  ceded  by  the  present 
; tehty,  until  general  arrangements  relative  to  the  commerce  of  both 
nations  may  be  agreed  on,  it  has  been  a^;reed  between  the  contract- 
in;^  parties,  that  the  French  ships  coming  directly  from  France  or 
auy  of  her  colonies,  loaded  only  with  the  produce  or  manufactures  of 
France  or  her  said  colonies ;  and  the  ships  of  Spain  commg  directly 
from  Spain  or  any  of  her  colonies,  loaded  only  with  the  produce  or 
manufactures  of  Spain  or  h^r  colonies,  shall  be  admitted  during  the 
space  of  twelve  years  in  the  ports  of  New  Orleans,  and  in  all  other 
legal  ports  of  entry  within  the  ceded  territory,  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  ships  of  t!fu  United  States  coming  directly  from  France  or 
Spain  or  any  of  their  colonies,  without  bemg  subject  to  any  other  or 
greater  duty  on  merchandise,  or  ether  or  greater  tonnage  than  those 
pud  by  the  citizens  of  the  United  States.  , 

"  During  the  space  of  time  above-mentipned,  no  other  nation  shall 
have  a  right  to  the  same  privileges  in  the  ports  of  the  ceded  terri- 
tory :  the  twelve  years  'shall  comivence  three  months  after  the 
exchange  of  ratifications,  if  it  shall  take  place  in  France,  or  three 
months  after  it  shall  have  been  notified  at  Paris  to  the  French 
government,  if  it  shall  take  place  in  the  United  States :  it  is,  how- 


■^' 


# 


» 


*# 


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APPXNDIZ. 


M8 


*ver,  well  onderstood  that  «he  objwt  of  the  ahove  artido  if  to 
favor  the  mami&ctares,  commeree,  freight,  and  navigation  of  Franco 
and  oi  Spain,  so  far  a»  relates  to  the  importationi  that  tho  French 
and  Spanish  ihaU  ma]te  into  the  said  porta  of  the  United  Btatos, 
without  in  any  sort  aflSeotiag  the  regnlationg  that  the  United  St&tcH 
may  make  concerning  the  exportation  of  the  produce  and  merchan- 
dise of  the  United  States,  or  any  right  they  may  have  to  malie  such 
regulations. 

«•  AuT.  8th.  in  futurp.  n^a  for  ever  after  the  expiration  of  the 
twelve  years,  the  ship^  mce  shall  he  treated  upon  the  footing 

of  the  most  favored  n  *^e  ports  above-mentioned. 

"Art.  9th.  The  p  avention,  signed  this  day  by  the 

respective  Ministers,  h  a  object  to  provide  for  the  payment 

of  debts  due  to  the  citu. us  of  tao  United  States  by  the  French  Re- 
public, prior  to  the  30th  of  September,  1800  (8th  Vendemiaire,  an  9), 
is  approved,  and  to  have  its  execution  in  the  same  manner  as  if  it 
had  been  inserted  in  the  present  treaty ;  and  it  shall  bo  ratified  in 
|he  same  form,  and  in  the  same  time,  so  that  the  one  shall  not  be 
ratified  distinct  from  the  other. 

»'  Another  particular  convention,  signed  at  the  same  date  as  the 
present  treaty,  relative  to  the  definitive  rule  between  the  contracting 
*'  parties,  is  in  the  like  manner  approved,  and  wUl  be  ratified  in  the 
same  form,  and  in  the  same  time,  and  jointly. 

"  Art.  10th.  The  present  treaty  shall  be  ratified  in  good  and  due 
form,  and  the  ratifications  shall  be  exchanged  in  the  space  of  six 
months  after  the  date  of  the  signature  by  the  Mhusters  Plenipoten- 
tiary, or  sooner  if  possible. 

"In  faith  whereof,  die  respective  Plenipotentiaries  have  signed 
these  articles  in  the  French  and  English  languages;  declaring, 
nevertheless,  that  the  present  treaty  was  originally  agreed  to  in  the 
French  language ;  and  have  thereunto  put  then:  seals. 

"  Done  at  Paris,  the  tenth  day  of  Floreal,  in  the  eleventh  year  of , 
the  French  Republic,  and  the  30th  of  April,  1803. 

"ROBERT  R.  LIVING8T0K, 
"JAMES  MONROE, 
"BARBl^  MARBOIS." 


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"  CiMv«Ml»M'^0A<w0i  IheVnited  l^ate$  df  Ampiea  imd' the  Frateh 
l^epublic,  of  (Ad  tame  date  unth  theprec^din^^  Tf'ea^. 

Thb  Presidoiat'  of  the  UmW  States  of  Amsrimii  a&d  th»  Jfirst 
OmiBul  of  t^«-  S^ratteK.Bepliblio,  in  th«  ikume  of  li^e.  iEceiivb  people, 
in  ponsequenee  ^  ftke^  tretty  of  *<NMMiOB  Of  Lovbutma,  wHich'  hair ' 
'  been  signed  tUs  day,  ^J^jftUag  toregnJate  dtefix^i^  ererj  ,t}ung 
whieh  has  «oI)Mi«ti  tO'lhe  .said  cesribn,  hitve  mtifiMnl4Bd<lto  ,l^s  ef^ 
feet  the  Pleii^otefttibuties,  that^  is  t».f»y,  ^«  J^stdent  of  the 
United  States  has,  hy-  and  with  the  advice  miA  oojwent^o^th^- 
Senate  of -the -61^  States^  nomwated  fn  >^^Pl«nlji.ote)ntl«i^ei^ 
Robert  B.  I4>Httgston,  IGm8tet;«!nMiipotentiM7  of  tliiB  Utdted 
Stateiiraod  James  Hoi4>o^"  Miv^itr  Plenipotentiary-  and  fiuvoy 
Extritordiuarj  of  the  said  tf Ait<A  States^  near/^  goyenunent , odT. 
the  French  Republic;)  and^te  Fitst  Qonsnl  of  the  Fi«>nch^ReptA>Uo, 
in  tfao  name  of  thO'^ra&oh'  people  hat*  named  as  P]l>nip«rffentUi^  of 
th0  sud  Riepttblic,  the  Ff*en«ih  citisen Bach6 MaiM«»  iilM>;  writM' 
of  their  full  powers,  whieh  have  been  exehaitgid  thMi^'day,  ha-re 
agr««dto  thelbllofHag-ftr«ieli»s:  ^y 

"  Abt.  Ist.  The  Qov^nm&BAiifiheJSm^  States  engages  to  pAy 
to  &6  French  GtoyeiMiM&t,  in^easw^^^spQeffied  in  the  following 
articles,  the  sn^Si  of  sixty  millions  of  firnnes,  ind^ftend^nt^i^  |ho^  jam 
whicAi  shali.be  fixed  by  another  eonvention  for  the.  payment  of  d<»bits. 
doe  by  I^ranoe  todticens  of  the  United  Statei).      < 

»  Akt.  2d.  For  tho  pajf^ent  of  th«  smn<^  ^hc^  millions  of  firancs, 
mentioned  in  tiio  preoodmg  aartiele,  the  United  States  ^shall  cgreftte 
a  stofik  of  eleven  millipns  tw*  hundred  find:  £%:  thousaand  4ed]iarS( 
bearing  an  interest  of  riat  per  ceat^  per  «iuiii^»  p^ynblf;  l^^eiurly 
in  Ix)^d<m^  AmstMrdata^-or  Paris,  em6iu^big  by  thevjbsdf^year  to 
three  hundred,  and  tl^xty-seven,  thousand  fiTO  htmdred:  >dbUars, 
according  to  the  jj^rbportioiis  whieh  ii^idl  be.  determiined^by  the 
French  Qovimn9^*i  to  be fslA-Mf  either  place;  M  prinoii^  of  Ihe 
said  stock  to  be  rehnbttpled  At  the  treasiM^^  of  tiie  United  Btateib  l'^  , 
ann^ial  payments  of  n#t:leS8  tinm' three  niltlont  of  dbltptrs  eaeh;  of 
whieh  the  iSrat  payment  t^all  tommence  i^een  jreari  tStUaf  ^  dste^ 
of  the  exchange  of  ratifications  f  this  siodk  ihi^  be  i^mtfym^  ftf 
the  d^ovemmeat  of  Frahce,  or  to  suohlperson  or^periMnki  as  shall  be 


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aatKorfeed  «)!re«6ii^  kr^dilNJto  Wi^  nfolt  aft«r  th#ei6|taiige 

#the  i^eiiX#>|i»^oe  ti^  tTOAtjfr,  and  sfter  Jk>ii(dana  shall;  b^  tak«n 
pQ«g«pno9(of  In  tbe  iUWttol(iI»  (^averaiticiM  of  the  Unit«d  Sta^ 

^••it  |«  Jlrtjiiar  agreed*  that  if  the  Firench  tJovenunent  ahotild  be 
A»sigpm  oifMr^^  the  Mia  ftoek  to  receive  the  eapltil  iii 
Bntppe*  at  ^lii^rter  twiw,  that  its  meaikirefl  %  that  ptirpoM  «hall 
^V^^»u  Wi  u«efc:  &v«r»iii  the.greateift  degree  poidble,  the  crtdit 
of  th©  Uiuted  Staten^  and  to  raise  to  the  highest  nr^  ^e  said 

"Abt.34  It  i«  kjpteedthat  the  diollar  of  the  Catted  BtMes, 
specific  In  the  present,  convention,  «haU  be  fixed  at  tfv^  francs 
tVi^.  <w  <^e  Jivire*  e%ht  «oim  toumois.  The-  present  convention 
Jhalibe  iftified  ^  i^od  and  doe  form,  end  the  tatifioations^hall  be 
ewh^ed  in  the  sp^ce  of  six  montbsrtck  date  frout^d*  day,  or 
sooner  if  poisible. 

«  Jnfftitbof  whic^^  ^respective  Pleaiipot^tttiaiies  hav^-'signed 
the  above  'artioles  both  in  the-  French  and  EngHsh  JatiguttgeA ; 
4eoUring,  nevertheless^  that  the  present  treaty  hto-beoniori^ally 
i^gp^  oil  and  ^rikten  in  tb^>French  Jangiutge ;  to  wldch^^A^  have 
hietrennto  affixed  their  seals^^  ^ 

"Done  at  Pans,  the  tenth  of  Floreal,  eleventh  year  of  th«  French 
Bepiiblic  {30th  iSi^,  180a). 

"  EOBEtlT  B.  MVINGSTOir,  (Ji.S^ 
,        \  ':'"       ■    "JAMBS' HpN]5PE,''(L^^^  :''^ 


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II: 


No.  8. 


"  CkmvtnUm  bttwem  ike  tMui^  Sm»^  Amnaa  mi  ^iS^nkeh 

!•  Xm  President  of  th»  United  Stetea  of  lmtsa»  koSl  the  i^t 
Qonwl  of  the  J'rench  RepuWJc,  in  the  navtie  of  the  French  people, 
W^  by  •  treaty  of  this  date  terminated  all  diffieiOtiBB  relative 
t<r4tonl«i«nt,  and  estahliiihed  en  a  eblid  ibttndiitio»  the  Meadefaip 
wM  |«4t0i  th«  two  intiona,  andvbekiijM  d^iii»ia^>k  ^4N«pB*M« 


%«■. 


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646 


■    APFEKBIZ. 


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M. 


witb  the  Beijond  ani  fifth  articles  of  tiie  ocmrention  of  the  8th  Von 
deniiaipe,  ninth  year  of  the  French  Eepublio  (3bth  S«ptemh^|;i 
1800),  to  aecnre  the  pajr^tdnt  of  th6  sum  due  by  Franco  to  t|t 
oiti^euB  dfihe  United  States,,  We  respetiitlroly  noinj^t^  as  Flie^# 
potentiaries,  that  i»  to  aay  :  the  Pwddent  of  tJ»e  Urfted  Sta^i  of 
Amearioaihy  and  -writh  the  advice  wid  owBsentvof  the  Senate,  jloi 
bert  E.  IdMngston,  Minister  Plenipotentiary,  ^d  James  Moi^oe, 
MiBiister  Plenipotentiary  and  Envoy  Ektraoi^iiary  of  the  said 
States,  ne4r  the  government  of  the  French  lltmiiljlic,  and  &e  First 
Gonsttl,  in  the  name  of  the  French  people,  the  French  oidsen  Ba^b6 
Marbois,  Minister  of  the  Public  Treasury  j  who,  after  having  exr 

•  changed  their  fiiU, powers,  have  agreed  to  the  following  articles  sj^ 
••  ABT.^t.  The  debts  dneby  France  to  the  citizens  of  the  United 
Spates,  contracted  before  the  8th  Vendemimie,  ninth  year  of  the 
French  EepubKc  (80th  September,  1800),  shall  be  paid;  according 
to  the  following  Tegalations,  with  interest  at  si*  per  cent.,  ta  eoniw 
mence  from  the  period  when  the  accounts  and  vouchersWe  p^. 
sented  to.  Ae  French  Government. 

"  JiRT.  ad.  The  debts  provided  for  by  the  preceding  article  .are 
those  whose  result  is  comprised  in  the  conjectural  note  annexed  to 
the  present  convention,'  and  which;  with  the  interest,  cannot  efeeed 
the  rom  of  twtoty  millions  of  francs.  The  claims  cem^ori^^ 
si^d  note,^ldch  fHH  withih  the  exceptions  of  ^e  folldl^ariicles* 
shal  not  be  adnHtte^  to  t^  benefit  of  this  proTisioA. 

"Am.  34.  The  prindpia  and  inierestdf  ihe  said  debts  shall  l® 
discharge  %^  United  Statel  by  orders  idrwfn,  by  their  ME- 
nister  i»lenip9|^ti«ry  on  their  treasury;  these  orders  shall  be 
piljrable  dxty  Cys  after  the  exchange  <rf  th^  ratifications  of  the 
ti|eaty  and  the  conventions  sighed  tMs  day,  and  aftiSr  possessioti 

jtkiSi  be  g^yen  of  Louisiana  by  the  Oommissiontirs  of  France  to  those 
tffihe1|nitedStateil.i  .^ 

,  *«Ain?/4th.  It  is  expireddy  agreed,  tlmt  the  priscedjng  artides 
shall  conipreheniju)  debts  Wt  such  as  m'  due  to  i^Mils  of  the 
United  Stat^,  who  h«ve  been  and  are  y^  creditolB/  of:i*rance  for 
suMpliep,  ^<^rg9es„  and  ^  priases  made  sA  b^  m  %hiih  the  ^peal 
has  been  piroprly  lo|gp^  ^thin  the  time  iien|ioited  in  the  Mid 
convention  j)f^e>8th  Vendeua^^^^ 

,1800).  ,■-■ ;      ■  ;:■;   \   .  ^    '■     ■   '■     •:  ^  ;  - 

"  Ab^.  ^ -^  priMseding  juftMsJes  sWiti^pfy  only,  1st,  to  eap- 
tnres  of  which  the  Oonneil  <*f  Prices  M  hil^e  erdered  reiatuti<nt  j 
it  being  i«efi|iJidera|&«^v^«iec^^ 


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'  the  tJiuted  States  otherwise  thafti  he  might  hate  had  to  the  Govem- 
m^t  of  the  French  Bepnblic,  and  only  hi  .case  of  the  insufEoienpy 
of  the  captors :  2d,  the  debts  mentioned  in  the  said  filth  article  of 
the   convention/contractcid  Wore  the  Jth  YendemiaJre,   an    9 

'  (30th  September,  1800),  the  payment  of  wMeh  has  been  heretofijre 
'Wned  of  the  actual Ooremment  of  France,  and  for  which  the 
creditors  ^ve  m  jAght  to  the  protection  of  the  Umted  Stiites;  thio 

'  said  fifth  article  does  not  comprehend  prizes  whose  con^demnation 
has  been  or  shall  be  confinned:  it  is  the  express  Uitention  of  the 

V-  contracting  parties  not  to  extend  the  benefit'  of  the  present  con- 

J"  reiitiQii  to  reclamations  of  Ateierican  citizens,  who  shall  hav«. es- 
tablished houses  of  commerce  in  France,  England,  or  other  osuntries 

*  thMi  the  United  States,  in  partnership  with  foreigners,  and  who  » 

* 'by  that  reason  and  the  nature  of  their  commarce  ought  to  be 

i-    regarded  aa  domiciliated  iii;^  the  places  where  such  houses  exist. 

*:  AH  agreements  and  bargains  concerning  merchandise,  which  shall 

ndt  be  the  property  of  American  citizens,  are  equally  excepted 

»  ^from  the  benefit  of  the  said  convention,  saving,  however,  to  such 
*  persons  th^ir  claims  in  like  manner  as  if  this  treaty  had  not  been 
tnade. 
"Art.  6th.  And  that  thd  diff(Mfent  questions  which  ipay,  arista 

^    ibider  the  prece(^ttg  article  njay  be  fairly  investigated,  the  Ministers 
•Plenipotentairy  of  the  United  States  shall  name  three  persons,  who* 

;  "shall  act  from  the  preseht.,and  provisionally,  and  who  shall  have 
foil  power  to  examine,  without  removing  the  documents,  all  the 
iwcoimts  1^  ^6  different  daims  already  liquidated  by^  the  buteau 
establishea  'f4»  this  purpose  bj^  the  French  Bepub% ;  and  to  ascer- 
tiUn  whether  they  belong  to  the  classes  dedgnated  by  the  pre- 

'J^  sent  convention  and  tibe  principles'  established  in  it,  or  if, they  are 
not  in  one  of  ita^xceptions,  and  m  their  certificate,  declaring  that 

«     the  debt  ?s  due  to  an  American  citizen  or  his  rep)resenti^tiVQj  and 

"^    that  it  existed  before  the  8th  Vendemiaire,  ninth  year  p&ih  Sep- 

'  timber,  1800),  the  cre^r  shall  be  entitled  to  an  ord^r  v^n  the 

it^mty  of  the  United  l^tes,  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  theihird 

Mrtiele. 

<«Alt^*7ihw  ^he  same  agents  shaU  Mkewise  have  pQwer,  without 
removinj^  the  doeuimeiits,  te  .exwu^e  the  claims  which  are  pr^mired 
for  verMcatii^  and  t6  certify  those  whi^  to  be  admitted  by 

aiding  the  n#^s^<|«iafificatipn8,  and  wt  being  comprised  m  the 
exceptidnscenliilaed  in  ihl&  present  conirentipn. 

**  Ab-c.  8th.  "tlie  sinie  agents:  ihnll  Blee^Rile  ex«iii}ne  the  dums 
^  which  are  not   prepared   for  liquidation,  and  certify  in  writing 


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APPINDIX. 


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I 
ii 


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those  which,  in  their  jndgmentu,  ought  to  be  admitted  to  liqui- 
dation.  . 

"  Abt.  9th.  Jbr  proportion  «s  the  dettts  mentioned  'h  tjbese  artici^f 
shall  h^  admitted,  they  shall  he  diflpharged  with  intiUest  at  six  pef 
cent.,bylthetiiMuryofthetJftM  .^i  ; 

"  Art;  10th.  And  that  no  debt  whi^  ghall  M  lia^^e'  qual^ 
ficatipnfkj|bpTe-menti6ne|,  and  that  no  .nnjuttW  exorbitant  d(»< 
ma^'maj^be  admitted,  the  epmmerc|wl  agent  dT  the  XTiiited  Btatei 
at  ,f  arid,  or  Bueh  cither  agent  tu  Ihe  Mbrfster  Flenlpotpntiary  of 
the  united  dtatee  shall  Ih^  proper  io  liiominate,  shatl  assist  at  the 
operations  of  the  bureau,  and  co-oj^ate  in  the-exanriitotion  '^  the 
claims;  and  if  this  agent  shall  be  df  Opinion  that  an^  debt  is  itQt 

'*\  completely  proved*  or  if  he  jrihtaU  ji»dge  that  it  is  not  comprised  in 
the  principles  of  the  fifth  article  aboTe-inentipned ; '  and  if  qotwith- 

:>  standing  his  opinion,  the  bureau  establi^ed  ^7  ^^^  French  ^prern- 
ment  should  think  that,  it  pnght  to  be  fl^uidated>  he  shidl  tra!nsi|ut 
t.is  observations  to  the  board  established  by  the  United  Stages,  .who, 
without  removing  tbe  docnmients,  shall  ma]ke  a  complete  exanii-  \ 

f    nation  of  the  debt  and  vouchers  Which  si^port  it,  «nd  report  the 
result  to  the  Minister  of  the  United  $tai«s.    The  ^ttit»  of#e^ 
United  States   shall   tinsnsniit  J^  ol^erirlttipnsy  m  d^  ra 
to  the  ^minister  of  the  Tjreasury  of  the  !l^rench  Bepilbl&s.  on  whose 
^report  the  Firench  Government  Shid)i'dedde  definiidil§|y^'''' 


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"  Th6  rejeotioiv  of  ahy  i^muii  s^Uh^y^  no  olher  effect  thfya  to  ex^ 
em]^  j^e  U^t^  ^tates  i^oin  thjs  paynient  of  it,  the  Frenc^  (^ovenif*, 
ment  resermg  to  itfitlf  the  n^t  tp  de<ade  definftively  on  such  claim 
so  far  as  it  concp^S^itself.  « 

"  Ast.  11th.  Every  qieeessarydecisipuffhal}  be  madein  tl^  course 
of  a  year,  to  commence  from  ttie  jpxchaiife  |if  ratifiep||pns,  and  tUt 
reclamation sh«^ be a^n^itted aflwi'wair'ds.    ''■''■'■.''''    Jjc- 

'<  A^pyith.  In,  ,^p  of  clajmas  for  :d<^bts  eontra^ied  by  the  Crpv^^ 
men|^  IVuice,  with  ci|i^f#»  pf  the  Unit^  States,  since  :4!%8^ 
V&iidiliiif^e,  ni|]|h  ;^ew^  not  beliig  ^Mft- 

prised  in  this  eoiivention^  nie^r  may^  be  pursued^  and  the'  payment 
demanded  i^  the  same  msmt^tr  ai  if  it  hfd  not  )beenjMid!B,^^ 

"  Abt.  13ih.  /IThe  preset)^  epnv«d^ 
due  ifprm,  and  ike  rja^pa^^pns  >Ay|^  «x  inonthcf 

firom  the  date  of  the  sni^^itt|re  <^j^e  IQjDil^i^C^tenipoten^hi^ 
soonor  if  possible.       *'        * ;.  ■ 

"  In  faith  pf  which,  thejrespecBve  Mitdilrtiers  !DIeidpetenid^^  1^ 
signed  the  above  artietfis,  both  in  th0  French  i^d 


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^pclaring,  HereHhekfls,  that  the  present  treatji  hu  b«en  originaUy 
ag^  on  ^4  wrJtten  i^lhe  French  Iragaage;  t<r*which  tfcey  hare 
^riNtnto  ^ed  their  i^b.  ^      "  . 

Ij^ff^'  «^^  4*7  <>f  MoreiilJ^  year  of  the 
rwpehBe^bUc  (30th  AprQi  1803), 

<iOBimt  B.  LIVINGSTON,  (L.S.) 
*»  JAlCliS  HONBOE,  (L*S.)  *' 

«BiJBBB  MApOIS,  (L4)" 


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